Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ferndale, California
A $496,000 home here costs
$3,659per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $157,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,704. The real number is $955 higher every month, 35% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Humboldt County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Ferndale from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,525 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Humboldt County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Ferndale against Humboldt County and California
| Measure | Ferndale | Humboldt County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $496,000 | $418,800 |
| Median property tax | $2,961 | $2,731 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.597% | 0.652% |
| Median gross rent | $1,150 | $1,249 |
| Population | 1,525 | 135,418 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ferndale sits in Humboldt County, which averages a high of 64.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.0°F in its coldest, with 40.4" of precipitation a year and 51% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2 cooling and 4,506 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Humboldt County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Humboldt County
Full Humboldt County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Ferndale averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Ferndale every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Ferndale I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ferndale?
A $496,000 home in Ferndale, California costs approximately $3,659 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,704 principal and interest, $247 property tax, $77 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $413 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ferndale?
Ferndale has an effective property tax rate of 0.597%, based on a median home value of $496,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,961. That is lower than the Humboldt County average of 0.652%.
What is the average home price in Ferndale?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ferndale, California is $496,000, against $418,800 across Humboldt County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ferndale?
Median gross rent in Ferndale is $1,150 a month, against $3,659 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Ferndale?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Ferndale, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $157,000 a year. That covers the full $3,659 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Ferndale, 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.