Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Forest Ranch, California
A $491,000 home here costs
$3,755per 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 $161,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,677. The real number is $1,078 higher every month, 40% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Butte County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Forest Ranch from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,974 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 Butte 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.
Forest Ranch against Butte County and California
| Measure | Forest Ranch | Butte County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $491,300 | $408,700 |
| Median property tax | $4,500 | $2,819 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.916% | 0.690% |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,369 |
| Population | 1,974 | 209,470 |
The weather behind that power bill
Forest Ranch sits in Butte County, which averages a high of 95.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 39.6°F in its coldest, with 25.67" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,747 cooling and 2,394 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Butte County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Butte County
Full Butte County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Forest Ranch 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 Forest Ranch every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Forest Ranch I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Forest Ranch?
A $491,000 home in Forest Ranch, California costs approximately $3,755 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,677 principal and interest, $375 property tax, $76 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $409 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Forest Ranch?
Forest Ranch has an effective property tax rate of 0.916%, based on a median home value of $491,300 and median real estate taxes of $4,500. That is higher than the Butte County average of 0.690%.
What is the average home price in Forest Ranch?
The median owner-occupied home value in Forest Ranch, California is $491,300, against $408,700 across Butte County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forest Ranch?
Rent data is not published for Forest Ranch at this level of detail.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Forest Ranch?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Forest Ranch, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $161,000 a year. That covers the full $3,755 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Forest Ranch, 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.