Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Big Bear Lake, California
A $518,000 home here costs
$3,876per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,663. The real number is $1,213 higher every month — 46% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Big Bear Lake against San Bernardino County and California
| Measure | Big Bear Lake | San Bernardino County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $517,900 | $475,000 |
| Median property tax | $4,008 | $3,346 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.774% | 0.704% |
| Median gross rent | $1,278 | $1,706 |
| Population | 5,038 | 2,187,816 |
The weather behind that power bill
Big Bear Lake sits in San Bernardino County, which averages a high of 105.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.0°F in its coldest, with 3.77" of precipitation a year and 49% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,129 cooling and 2,019 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Bernardino County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Bernardino County
Full San Bernardino County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Big Bear Lake?
A $518,000 home in Big Bear Lake, California costs approximately $3,876 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,663 principal and interest, $334 property tax, $80 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $432 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Big Bear Lake?
Big Bear Lake has an effective property tax rate of 0.774%, based on a median home value of $517,900 and median real estate taxes of $4,008. That is higher than the San Bernardino County average of 0.704%.
What is the average home price in Big Bear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Big Bear Lake, California is $517,900, against $475,000 across San Bernardino County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Big Bear Lake?
Median gross rent in Big Bear Lake is $1,278 a month, against $3,876 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 Big Bear Lake — 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.