Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fort Bragg, California
A $481,000 home here costs
$3,551per 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 $152,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,622. The real number is $928 higher every month, 35% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Mendocino 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.
Fort Bragg against Mendocino County and California
| Measure | Fort Bragg | Mendocino County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $481,200 | $486,000 |
| Median property tax | $2,826 | $3,376 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.587% | 0.695% |
| Median gross rent | $1,264 | $1,325 |
| Population | 7,001 | 90,709 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fort Bragg sits in Mendocino County, which averages a high of 83.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.3°F in its coldest, with 49.23" of precipitation a year and 56% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 195 cooling and 4,527 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Mendocino County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Mendocino County
Full Mendocino County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fort Bragg 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 Fort Bragg every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fort Bragg I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Bragg?
A $481,000 home in Fort Bragg, California costs approximately $3,551 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,622 principal and interest, $235 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $401 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fort Bragg?
Fort Bragg has an effective property tax rate of 0.587%, based on a median home value of $481,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,826. That is lower than the Mendocino County average of 0.695%.
What is the average home price in Fort Bragg?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Bragg, California is $481,200, against $486,000 across Mendocino County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Bragg?
Median gross rent in Fort Bragg is $1,264 a month, against $3,551 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 Fort Bragg?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fort Bragg, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $152,000 a year. That covers the full $3,551 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fort Bragg, 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.