Photo above: Aerial view looking northwest over Moraga, Lafayette and Orinda in Contra Costa County, California, March 2022. Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
They share a high school district and sit side by side east of the Berkeley Hills, but they differ on price, trains and fire agencies. In August 2026 the median sale price was $1,998,677 in Orinda, $2,038,651 in Lafayette and $1,750,092 in Moraga (Redfin, housing market page for each, August 2026, checked September 24, 2026). Orinda and Lafayette each have a BART station on Highway 24. Moraga has none.
Below is each difference with its source. Which one fits your life is your call, so test real addresses, not town names.
How do home prices compare in Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga?
Lafayette had the highest median in August 2026, Moraga the lowest. All three numbers come from one source and one month.
| August 2026 | Orinda | Lafayette | Moraga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $1,998,677 | $2,038,651 | $1,750,092 |
| Change from August 2025 | +12.7% | +1.9% | +19.9% |
| Homes sold | 61 | 81 | 45 |
| Median days on market | 14 | 15 | 14 |
| Sale price vs. list price | 100.9% | 102.1% | 101.1% |
| Sold over list | 44.1% | 43.1% | 50.1% |
| Listings with a price drop | 24.0% | 21.2% | 26.5% |
| Median price per square foot | $721 | $833 | $790 |
Source: Redfin, Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga housing market pages, August 2026, checked September 24, 2026.
Read the year-over-year row with care. Moraga’s 45 sales and Orinda’s 61 are small samples, and a +19.9% or +12.7% jump in one month’s median mostly reflects which homes happened to close. Orinda’s per-foot figure is the lowest of the three even though its median sits close to Lafayette’s. Redfin doesn’t say why, and a per-foot median moves with the size of the homes that sold, so price the same size and type of home in each town.
What kinds of homes does each town have?
Orinda is almost all detached houses. Moraga has the largest share of townhomes. Census Bureau estimates for 2020 to 2024:
| Housing units | Orinda | Lafayette | Moraga |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total housing units | 7,475 | 9,998 | 5,719 |
| Single-family detached | 94.6% | 74.3% | 66.8% |
| Single-family attached (townhomes) | 1.3% | 6.3% | 15.8% |
| Buildings with 2 to 4 units | 0.1% | 7.2% | 6.7% |
| Buildings with 5 or more units | 4.0% | 12.0% | 9.1% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1960 | 1972 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates, tables B25024 and B25035, via Census Reporter (checked September 25, 2026). Shares are our math on the Census counts, and ACS numbers are survey estimates with margins of error.
The build years split the same way. About 51% of Orinda’s homes and 50% of Lafayette’s were built before 1960, compared with about 10% of Moraga’s. Moraga’s biggest decade is the 1970s, at 36% of its homes (ACS table B25034, same source). If you’re touring older Orinda or Lafayette houses, budget for inspections that look closely at foundations, drainage, electrical panels and sewer lines.
Which towns have BART, and how long is the ride?
Orinda and Lafayette each have a station on the Yellow line. Moraga residents drive or take a bus to one of them.
| Orinda station | Lafayette station | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 11 Camino Pablo | 3601 Deer Hill Road |
| Weekday morning ride to Embarcadero | 26 minutes | 31 minutes |
| Clipper fare to Embarcadero | $5.95 | $6.50 |
| Daily parking | $3.40 | $3.40 |
| Monthly reserved parking | $105 | $105 |
Sources: BART, Orinda and Lafayette station pages; BART schedule and fare data for Tuesday, October 6, 2026 (checked September 25, 2026). BART lists the fill time at both lots as “capacity available at all times.”
From Moraga, County Connection Route 6 links Lafayette BART, Saint Mary’s College, Moraga and Orinda BART. It runs about 6:15 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, every 30 to 60 minutes, with less frequent weekend trips (County Connection, Route 6 page, checked September 25, 2026).
One more thing affects all three. BART’s Alternative Service Plan, initially approved February 26, 2026, would cut service and could close up to 15 stations from July 2027 if no new money arrives. It names no stations (BART news release, February 26, 2026). A regional transit sales tax is on the November 3, 2026 ballot.
Which school districts serve each town?
Each town has its own K-8 district, and all three feed Acalanes Union High School District.
| Orinda | Lafayette | Moraga | |
|---|---|---|---|
| K-8 district | Orinda Union School District | Lafayette School District | Moraga School District |
| High school most addresses attend | Miramonte High, 750 Moraga Way | Acalanes High, 1200 Pleasant Hill Road | Campolindo High, 300 Moraga Road |
Sources: Orinda Union, Lafayette and Moraga school district websites and Acalanes Union High School District, School Site Information (checked September 25, 2026).
The address decides the school, not the town on the listing. Acalanes Union High says a student’s neighborhood high school is based on street address, and some Lafayette streets may be assigned to Campolindo. Houses near town lines or in unincorporated pockets can fall in a different district. Verify every address with both districts before you write an offer. For test scores, look up each school on the California School Dashboard at caschooldashboard.org.
How do fire zones and fire rules differ?
Two different fire agencies. Orinda and Moraga are served by the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD). Lafayette is served by the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire).
- Orinda and Moraga. MOFD adopted its current Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Ordinance 25-03 on May 21, 2025, and posts an address lookup (MOFD, Ordinances and Resolutions and Zone Zero pages, checked September 25, 2026). MOFD requires an in-person inspection and a Certificate of Compliance for every property transfer, with a $336 first inspection per parcel, whatever the zone (MOFD Certificate of Compliance page, checked September 25, 2026).
- Lafayette. The city says 7,018 acres are mapped on the fire hazard map in effect since July 10, 2025: 41 acres very high, 5,309 high and 1,668 moderate (City of Lafayette, Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map page, checked September 25, 2026). Con Fire is the agency to ask about defensible space inspections and what a seller needs to show.
State law applies in all three. Since July 1, 2021, sellers in high or very high zones must give buyers documentation of compliance with local vegetation rules (California Civil Code 1102.19). Look up the exact parcel, and get an insurance quote from a licensed insurance agent while your contingencies are still open. We don’t give insurance advice.
How do taxes compare?
Sales tax differs, transfer tax doesn’t, and each K-8 district has its own parcel taxes.
- Sales tax. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration lists 9.75% in Orinda and Moraga and 9.25% in Lafayette, effective July 1, 2026 (CDTFA, Tax Rates by County and City, checked September 25, 2026).
- Transfer tax. All three are general law cities or towns. Each one’s $0.55 per $1,000 share is credited inside the county’s $1.10 per $1,000, so a sale pays $1.10 per $1,000 in total (California City Finance, transfer tax rate table effective December 1, 2025, checked September 25, 2026).
- Orinda parcel taxes. Orinda Union School District lists Measure A at $385, Measure B at $124 and Measure Z at $295 per parcel (district Parcel Tax Measures A, B, Z page). That adds up to $804 a year by our math.
- Lafayette parcel taxes. Lafayette School District’s Measure H, approved June 2, 2026, is $585 per parcel for nine years. The district also collects its 2014 Measure J&B but doesn’t post the current amount (district Parcel Tax Information page).
- Moraga parcel taxes. Moraga School District’s Measure I, $295 per parcel for seven years, passed June 2, 2026 with 70.44% yes in the certified results (Contra Costa Elections, June 2, 2026 official final results, as reported by Ballotpedia, checked September 25, 2026). The county’s impartial analysis said the district’s parcel taxes would total $836 per parcel with Measure I, adjusted for inflation starting in 2027-2028 (Contra Costa Elections, Measure I page, checked September 25, 2026).
- On the ballot for all three. Acalanes Union High’s Measure W, $168 per parcel for eight years, goes to voters November 3, 2026 (AUHSD Measure W page).
Exemptions exist for some owners. Ask for the current tax bill on any house you’re serious about, and take budget or deduction questions to a tax professional or the Contra Costa County Treasurer-Tax Collector.
Is there anything only one of the three has?
Orinda’s private roads stand out. The City of Orinda’s Known Private Streets table, revised September 16, 2024, lists 214 private streets covering 30.69 miles and 1,605 homes, where upkeep falls on owners, not the city (City of Orinda, Private Road Information page, checked September 25, 2026). Ask about road status on any Orinda house.
Moraga is the one without a BART station, covered above. Lafayette is the one served by Con Fire rather than MOFD.
So how do I pick between them?
Take one real house in each town and run these five checks:
- Same home, three prices. Compare recent sales of the same size and type of home, not the medians.
- Your commute. Time the drive to BART or the bus at the hour you’d really leave.
- The yearly bill. Pull each house’s tax bill and add an insurance quote.
- The school assignment. Confirm each address with the district.
- Fire and road status. Look up the fire zone, and in Orinda, check the private road list.
Questions people also ask
Is Moraga cheaper than Orinda and Lafayette?
At the median, in August 2026, yes. Redfin shows Moraga at $1,750,092, Orinda at $1,998,677 and Lafayette at $2,038,651, checked September 24, 2026. Per square foot, Orinda was lowest at $721, against $790 in Moraga and $833 in Lafayette. One month of data swings, and home sizes differ, so compare the same kind of home in each town.
Does Moraga have a BART station?
No. Moraga residents usually use Orinda BART at 11 Camino Pablo or Lafayette BART at 3601 Deer Hill Road. County Connection Route 6 connects Moraga with both stations on weekdays from about 6:15 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., per its Route 6 page checked September 25, 2026. Weekend trips are less frequent.
Which high school serves Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga?
All three are in Acalanes Union High School District. Most Orinda addresses go to Miramonte High, most Lafayette addresses to Acalanes High, and most Moraga addresses to Campolindo High, but the district assigns by street address, and some Lafayette streets may go to Campolindo. Confirm the assigned school for any house with the district before you buy.
Which Lamorinda town has the highest sales tax?
Orinda and Moraga, at 9.75%, per the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration’s rate table effective July 1, 2026, checked September 25, 2026. Lafayette’s rate is 9.25%. The documentary transfer tax is the same in all three, $1.10 per $1,000 of value, per California City Finance’s table effective December 1, 2025.
Your next step
Send us one house you like in each town. We’ll line up sales of similar homes, the fire zone, the school district check and the BART trip for each, side by side. Talk to our team about Lamorinda or call (510) 949-5525.
More: Is Orinda, CA a good place to live? · Living in Lafayette, CA · Living in Moraga, CA · What’s my home worth?
By Bill Davis, DRE #01880656, The Davis Team at eXp Realty, Orinda, CA. Updated September 24, 2026.
Sources
- Redfin, Orinda, Lafayette and Moraga housing market pages, August 2026: redfin.com/city/14057/CA/Orinda/housing-market, redfin.com/city/9927/CA/Lafayette/housing-market, redfin.com/city/12596/CA/Moraga/housing-market (checked September 24, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates, tables B25024, B25034 and B25035, Orinda city, Lafayette city and Moraga town, California, via censusreporter.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- BART, Orinda and Lafayette station pages, and schedule and fare data for October 6, 2026: bart.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- BART, “BART Board initially approves Alternative Service Plan outlining budget balancing details,” February 26, 2026: bart.gov/news (checked September 25, 2026)
- County Connection, Route 6: countyconnection.com/routes/6 (checked September 25, 2026)
- Acalanes Union High School District, School Site Information and Measure W pages: acalanes.k12.ca.us (checked September 25, 2026)
- Orinda Union School District, Parcel Tax Measures A, B, Z: orindaschools.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- Lafayette School District, Parcel Tax Information: lafsd.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- Moraga School District, Parcel Tax Measures K, M and I: moraga.k12.ca.us (checked September 25, 2026)
- Contra Costa Elections, Measure I (Moraga School District) impartial analysis, and June 2, 2026 official final results: contracostavote.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- Ballotpedia, Moraga School District Measure I and Lafayette School District Measure H (June 2026), certified results: ballotpedia.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- Moraga-Orinda Fire District, Zone Zero and Fire Hazard Severity Zone, Ordinances and Resolutions, and Certificate of Compliance pages: mofd.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- City of Lafayette, Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map page: lovelafayette.org (checked September 25, 2026)
- California Civil Code 1102.19: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, Tax Rates by County and City, effective July 1, 2026: cdtfa.ca.gov (checked September 25, 2026)
- California City Finance, “California City Documentary and Property Transfer Tax Rates,” effective December 1, 2025: californiacityfinance.com (checked September 25, 2026)
- City of Orinda, Known Private Streets in Orinda, revised September 16, 2024: cityoforinda.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4493 (checked September 25, 2026)