Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in California, Maryland
A $338,000 home here costs
$2,619per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,738. The real number is $881 higher every month — 51% 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.
California against St. Mary's County and Maryland
| Measure | California | St. Mary's County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $337,900 | $390,900 |
| Median property tax | $3,009 | $3,392 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.891% | 0.868% |
| Median gross rent | $1,805 | $1,692 |
| Population | 13,223 | 114,372 |
The weather behind that power bill
California sits in St. Mary's County, which averages a high of 87.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.1°F in its coldest, with 46.32" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,477 cooling and 3,867 heating degree days, which is what sets the $196 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for St. Mary's County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in St. Mary's County
Full St. Mary's County cost breakdown · Every county in Maryland
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in California?
A $338,000 home in California, Maryland costs approximately $2,619 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,738 principal and interest, $251 property tax, $85 homeowners insurance, $264 utilities and $282 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in California?
California has an effective property tax rate of 0.891%, based on a median home value of $337,900 and median real estate taxes of $3,009. That is higher than the St. Mary's County average of 0.868%.
What is the average home price in California?
The median owner-occupied home value in California, Maryland is $337,900, against $390,900 across St. Mary's County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in California?
Median gross rent in California is $1,805 a month, against $2,619 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 California — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maryland.
- 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.