City comparison
Castro Valley, CA is about 10 miles (20 km) from Walnut Creek, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 17 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Castro Valley, CA to Walnut Creek, CA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Walnut Creek has a population of 69,809, vs 65,444 in Castro Valley — about the same size. By land area, Walnut Creek covers about 20 sq mi vs 17 sq mi for Castro Valley.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Castro Valley | Walnut Creek | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,383/mo | $2,503/mo | 5.0% higher in Walnut Creek |
| Median home value | $1,013,900 | $972,800 | 4.2% higher in Castro Valley |
| Median household income | $132,174 | $129,971 | 1.7% higher in Castro Valley |
| Groceries index | 108.1 | 108.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 168.3 | 168.3 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 106.1 | 106.1 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 106.0 | 106.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Castro Valley, you'd need $100,241 in Walnut Creek to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Castro Valley and Walnut Creek have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Castro Valley, you'd need about $80,193 in Walnut Creek to keep the same standard of living.