Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Barbara CountyCarpinteria Population 13,100 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Carpinteria, California

A $965,000 home here costs

$6,783

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,961. The real number is $1,822 higher every month — 37% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Carpinteria median: $965,200
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, $772,000 borrowed $4,961
Property tax0.623% effective rate for Carpinteria itself $501
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $150
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $804
Total monthly $6,783

Carpinteria against Santa Barbara County and California

MeasureCarpinteriaSanta Barbara County
Median home value$965,200$735,700
Median property tax$6,017$4,870
Effective tax rate0.623%0.662%
Median gross rent$2,341$2,050
Population13,100443,975

The weather behind that power bill

Carpinteria sits in Santa Barbara County, which averages a high of 93.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.4°F in its coldest, with 21.13" of precipitation a year and 65% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 657 cooling and 2,432 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Santa Barbara County

Full Santa Barbara County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

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

A $965,000 home in Carpinteria, California costs approximately $6,783 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,961 principal and interest, $501 property tax, $150 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $804 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Carpinteria?

Carpinteria has an effective property tax rate of 0.623%, based on a median home value of $965,200 and median real estate taxes of $6,017. That is lower than the Santa Barbara County average of 0.662%.

What is the average home price in Carpinteria?

The median owner-occupied home value in Carpinteria, California is $965,200, against $735,700 across Santa Barbara County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carpinteria?

Median gross rent in Carpinteria is $2,341 a month, against $6,783 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 Carpinteria — 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