Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaContra Costa CountyBethel Island Population 2,144 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Bethel Island, California

A $550,000 home here costs

$4,152

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,828. The real number is $1,325 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Bethel Island median: $549,500
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, $440,000 borrowed $2,828
Property tax0.904% effective rate for Bethel Island itself $414
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $85
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $458
Total monthly $4,152

Bethel Island against Contra Costa County and California

MeasureBethel IslandContra Costa County
Median home value$549,500$830,800
Median property tax$4,968$6,903
Effective tax rate0.904%0.831%
Median gross rent$1,390$2,322
Population2,1441,161,458

The weather behind that power bill

Bethel Island sits in Contra Costa County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.3°F in its coldest, with 26.05" of precipitation a year and 58% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 926 cooling and 3,309 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Contra Costa County

Full Contra Costa County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Bethel Island?

A $550,000 home in Bethel Island, California costs approximately $4,152 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,828 principal and interest, $414 property tax, $85 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $458 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Bethel Island?

Bethel Island has an effective property tax rate of 0.904%, based on a median home value of $549,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,968. That is higher than the Contra Costa County average of 0.831%.

What is the average home price in Bethel Island?

The median owner-occupied home value in Bethel Island, California is $549,500, against $830,800 across Contra Costa County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bethel Island?

Median gross rent in Bethel Island is $1,390 a month, against $4,152 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 Bethel Island — 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