Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaLos Angeles CountyCarson Population 93,523 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Carson, California

A $646,000 home here costs

$4,690

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,321. The real number is $1,369 higher every month — 41% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Carson median: $645,600
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, $516,800 borrowed $3,321
Property tax0.676% effective rate for Carson itself $364
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $100
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $538
Total monthly $4,690

Carson against Los Angeles County and California

MeasureCarsonLos Angeles County
Median home value$645,600$783,300
Median property tax$4,362$5,438
Effective tax rate0.676%0.694%
Median gross rent$1,914$1,893
Population93,5239,848,406

The weather behind that power bill

Carson sits in Los Angeles County, which averages a high of 88.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 44.2°F in its coldest, with 13.91" of precipitation a year and 67% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,481 cooling and 1,400 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Los Angeles County

Full Los Angeles County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

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

A $646,000 home in Carson, California costs approximately $4,690 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,321 principal and interest, $364 property tax, $100 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $538 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Carson?

Carson has an effective property tax rate of 0.676%, based on a median home value of $645,600 and median real estate taxes of $4,362. That is lower than the Los Angeles County average of 0.694%.

What is the average home price in Carson?

The median owner-occupied home value in Carson, California is $645,600, against $783,300 across Los Angeles County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carson?

Median gross rent in Carson is $1,914 a month, against $4,690 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 Carson — 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