Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fontana, California
A $559,000 home here costs
$4,290per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $184,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,096. The real number is $1,194 higher every month, 39% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Bernardino County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Fontana against San Bernardino County and California
| Measure | Fontana | San Bernardino County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $558,500 | $475,000 |
| Median property tax | $4,845 | $3,346 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.868% | 0.704% |
| Median gross rent | $1,733 | $1,706 |
| Population | 211,921 | 2,187,816 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fontana sits in San Bernardino County, which averages a high of 105.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.0°F in its coldest, with 3.77" of precipitation a year and 49% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,129 cooling and 2,019 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Bernardino County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Bernardino County
Full San Bernardino County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fontana 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 Fontana every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fontana I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fontana?
A $559,000 home in Fontana, California costs approximately $4,290 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $3,096 principal and interest, $404 property tax, $87 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $466 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fontana?
Fontana has an effective property tax rate of 0.868%, based on a median home value of $558,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,845. That is higher than the San Bernardino County average of 0.704%.
What is the average home price in Fontana?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fontana, California is $558,500, against $475,000 across San Bernardino County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fontana?
Median gross rent in Fontana is $1,733 a month, against $4,290 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 Fontana?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fontana, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $184,000 a year. That covers the full $4,290 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fontana, 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.