Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in East Palo Alto, California
A $1,124,000 home here costs
$7,841per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,779. The real number is $2,062 higher every month — 36% 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.
East Palo Alto against San Mateo County and California
| Measure | East Palo Alto | San Mateo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,124,000 | $1,494,500 |
| Median property tax | $7,014 | $9,167 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.624% | 0.613% |
| Median gross rent | $2,209 | $2,893 |
| Population | 29,143 | 745,100 |
The weather behind that power bill
East Palo Alto sits in San Mateo County, which averages a high of 66.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.9°F in its coldest, with 26.04" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 12 cooling and 3,701 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Mateo County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Mateo County
Full San Mateo County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in East Palo Alto?
A $1,124,000 home in East Palo Alto, California costs approximately $7,841 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $5,779 principal and interest, $584 property tax, $174 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $937 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in East Palo Alto?
East Palo Alto has an effective property tax rate of 0.624%, based on a median home value of $1,124,000 and median real estate taxes of $7,014. That is higher than the San Mateo County average of 0.613%.
What is the average home price in East Palo Alto?
The median owner-occupied home value in East Palo Alto, California is $1,124,000, against $1,494,500 across San Mateo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in East Palo Alto?
Median gross rent in East Palo Alto is $2,209 a month, against $7,841 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 East Palo Alto — 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.