Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaKern CountyArvin Population 19,478 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Arvin, California

A $248,000 home here costs

$2,091

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,275. The real number is $816 higher every month — 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Arvin median: $247,800
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $198,400 borrowed $1,275
Property tax0.987% effective rate for Arvin itself $204
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $38
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $207
Total monthly $2,091

Arvin against Kern County and California

MeasureArvinKern County
Median home value$247,800$310,600
Median property tax$2,445$2,833
Effective tax rate0.987%0.912%
Median gross rent$1,089$1,220
Population19,478910,433

The weather behind that power bill

Arvin sits in Kern County, which averages a high of 98.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 39.6°F in its coldest, with 6.36" of precipitation a year and 55% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,425 cooling and 1,958 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Kern County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Kern County

Full Kern County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Arvin?

A $248,000 home in Arvin, California costs approximately $2,091 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,275 principal and interest, $204 property tax, $38 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $207 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Arvin?

Arvin has an effective property tax rate of 0.987%, based on a median home value of $247,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,445. That is higher than the Kern County average of 0.912%.

What is the average home price in Arvin?

The median owner-occupied home value in Arvin, California is $247,800, against $310,600 across Kern County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Arvin?

Median gross rent in Arvin is $1,089 a month, against $2,091 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Arvin — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for California.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology