Short answer: Montclair is Oakland's hillside neighborhood on the western slope of the Oakland Hills, centered on a commercial village at 640 feet elevation with more than 200 businesses. The 94611 zip that covers it had a median sale price of $1,549,650 over the three months ending June 2026, up 14.8% year over year on 153 sales, per Redfin.
Where Montclair actually is
Montclair occupies the western slope of the Oakland Hills, from the Hayward Fault valley up to the upper ridge. Its boundaries are Highway 24 north, Joaquin Miller Road south, the City of Piedmont west, and the Contra Costa County line east.
That geography explains most of the neighborhood. Lots are irregular, streets curve, and views come at the cost of stairs. Montclair Village, the commercial core, sits at 640 feet next to Highway 13, which is what lets a hill neighborhood support a real town center.
The land was originally Ohlone, then part of the Peralta grant, and logged hard in the nineteenth century. One of the largest redwood stumps ever found, 32 feet across, is in the Oakland hills; today's canopy is what grew back.
Montclair Village: what a hillside town center looks like
The Montclair Village Association counts more than 200 businesses and operates as a business improvement district, with its own funding for maintenance, events and promotion rather than competing for citywide attention. That is largely why the Village stays occupied and tidy.
Two buildings anchor its character: the 1927 firehouse, in what is usually called a Hansel and Gretel style, by Eldred E. Edwards of Oakland Public Works, and the 1930 library branch in English cottage style, still an operating library. A working branch library in a 1930 cottage is the kind of unglamorous amenity residents mention first.
The College Avenue districts down the hill run on a denser, restaurant-heavy model, set side by side in our Rockridge versus Elmwood comparison. Montclair's Village is smaller and more errand-oriented, which for many buyers is the appeal rather than the compromise.
What it costs in 2026
Montclair is best measured through the 94611 zip, covering Montclair, Upper Rockridge and Piedmont Avenue. Redfin's dedicated Montclair page has not refreshed since November 2025, so we quote it with its period attached.
Area | Median sale price | YoY | Median days on market | % sold above list | Homes sold | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Piedmont | $3,198,260 | +15.3% | 13 | 91.3% | 46 | 3 mo ending Jun 2026 |
North Hills (Oakland Hills) | $1,609,440 | +7.3% | 15 | 79.2% | 170 | 3 mo ending Jun 2026 |
94611 zip (Montclair, Upper Rockridge, Piedmont Ave) | $1,549,650 | +14.8% | 14 | 82.0% | 153 | 3 mo ending Jun 2026 |
Montclair neighborhood page | $1,370,800 | — | — | — | — | Nov 2025, stale |
Oakland citywide | $898,511 | +5.7% | 20 | 68.5% | 805 | 3 mo ending Jun 2026 |
All rows are Redfin, same methodology. The hills carry a premium over Oakland as a whole — the 94611 median is roughly 1.7 times the citywide median — and move faster, 14 days against 20, with a higher share selling above list.
The Oakland citywide year-over-year figure needs a disclosure. Redfin shows the median up 5.7%; Zillow's home value index showed a decline of 8.8% as of February 2026. They point in opposite directions, and we would rather say so than pick the one that suits us. Weighing Montclair against the lake-adjacent classics? Our post on Crocker Highlands, Trestle Glen and Glenview covers that.
Getting outside
Joaquin Miller Park is 500 acres immediately south of the neighborhood. The poet bought the land in the 1880s and called it "The Hights." Trails include Sinawik, Sunset Loop, Palos Colorados, Chaparral and Cinderella; the park also holds the 2,000-seat Woodminster Amphitheater and a 1941 cascade whose stairs get used for fitness and weddings alike. Closer in, the old Sacramento Northern Railroad right-of-way is now a pedestrian and bike path.
Fire zones, insurance and the hills reality
Montclair sits in the Oakland Hills, so fire hazard designations, insurance work and defensible-space obligations are part of buying here.
California's Natural Hazard Disclosure covers six zones: FEMA flood, dam inundation, High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, State Responsibility Area wildland, Earthquake Fault Zone, and Seismic Hazard Zone for landslide or liquefaction. The last four commonly trigger in the Oakland hills. Separately, on August 19, 2026 the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection voted 8–0 to approve the final draft of its Zone 0 regulations, creating an ember-resistant zone in the first five feet around structures. The rule is not yet in effect: it now goes to the Office of Administrative Law for review, and no effective date has been set. Confirm at bof.fire.ca.gov.
Practical advice: get an insurance broker on the specific address before you write an offer. Our guide to buying in the Oakland Hills works through the disclosures, the Zone 0 timeline and the insurance sequence. Confirm with a licensed broker.
Schools and taxes
Montclair is served by Thornhill, Montclair and Joaquin Miller elementary schools and Montera Middle School, all Oakland Unified. Ratings vary by school and by rating service, and we will not quote numbers we have not verified. Ask us for current ratings and boundary maps, and check enrollment rules: attendance areas are not always what a map suggests.
On taxes, Oakland's city transfer tax runs $10.00 per $1,000 up to $300,000, $15.00 from $300,000 to $2 million, $17.50 from $2 million to $5 million, and $25.00 above $5 million, with Alameda County's $1.10 per $1,000 on top. On a $1,550,000 sale that is $23,250 to the city plus $1,705 to the county, or $24,955 total, customarily negotiable.
If you are cross-shopping: Piedmont's Measure H, passed June 2, 2026 with about 80% of the vote, levies $3,174 per parcel annually, inflation-adjusted, on top of ad valorem property tax; earlier parcel measures also remain in force. Our Piedmont guide covers what that buys. Confirm tax questions with your CPA.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Montclair in Oakland?
Montclair is on the western slope of the Oakland Hills, bounded by Highway 24 north, Joaquin Miller Road south, the City of Piedmont west, and the Contra Costa County line east, running from the Hayward Fault valley to the upper ridge. Montclair Village sits at 640 feet next to Highway 13.
How much do homes cost in Montclair, Oakland?
The 94611 zip covering Montclair, Upper Rockridge and Piedmont Avenue had a median sale price of $1,549,650 over the three months ending June 2026, up 14.8% year over year on 153 sales, per Redfin. Redfin's separate Montclair neighborhood page shows $1,370,800 but has not refreshed since November 2025, so treat that figure as historical.
What is Montclair Village?
It is the neighborhood's commercial center at 640 feet elevation next to Highway 13. The Montclair Village Association counts more than 200 businesses and operates as a business improvement district. Landmarks include a 1927 firehouse in a Hansel and Gretel style and a 1930 English cottage-style library branch still operating as a library.
Is Montclair in a fire zone?
Much of the Oakland hills, including Montclair, falls within High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, which appear on California's six-zone Natural Hazard Disclosure. The Board of Forestry approved the final draft of new Zone 0 rules, creating an ember-resistant zone in the first five feet around structures, on August 19, 2026; the rule now goes to the Office of Administrative Law and has no effective date yet. Confirm at bof.fire.ca.gov and discuss insurance with a licensed broker.
What is the transfer tax when you sell in Montclair?
Montclair is in Oakland, so the city rate applies: $15.00 per $1,000 from $300,000 to $2 million and $17.50 from $2 million to $5 million, plus Alameda County's $1.10 per $1,000. On a $1,550,000 sale that totals $24,955. Transfer tax is customarily negotiable between buyer and seller. Confirm current rates with a title officer.
Sources
- Redfin data, 3 months ending June 2026, and Montclair page, November 2025 — link
- Zillow ZHVI, Oakland, February 2026 — link
- California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Zone 0 final draft approved August 19, 2026, pending Office of Administrative Law review — link
- Alameda County Clerk-Recorder and City of Oakland, transfer tax — link
- City of Piedmont, Measure H (June 2026) — link
Mark Lederer leads The Lederer Team at Red Oak Realty, with 25 years and more than 1,000 transactions in Oakland's hill neighborhoods — long enough to know which Montclair streets hold value and which the grade and fog work against. Whether you are buying here or selling a Montclair house, start with a home valuation or a buyer consultation, then call 510-774-4231 or write to [email protected].
