Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fountain Valley, California
A $1,019,000 home here costs
$7,256per 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 $311,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,556. The real number is $1,700 higher every month, 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Orange 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.
Fountain Valley against Orange County and California
| Measure | Fountain Valley | Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,018,600 | $915,500 |
| Median property tax | $5,707 | $6,096 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.560% | 0.666% |
| Median gross rent | $2,507 | $2,352 |
| Population | 56,358 | 3,164,063 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fountain Valley sits in Orange County, which averages a high of 87.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.8°F in its coldest, with 14.12" of precipitation a year and 62% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,246 cooling and 1,287 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Orange County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Orange County
Full Orange County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fountain Valley 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 Fountain Valley every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fountain Valley I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fountain Valley?
A $1,019,000 home in Fountain Valley, California costs approximately $7,256 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $5,556 principal and interest, $476 property tax, $158 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $849 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fountain Valley?
Fountain Valley has an effective property tax rate of 0.560%, based on a median home value of $1,018,600 and median real estate taxes of $5,707. That is lower than the Orange County average of 0.666%.
What is the average home price in Fountain Valley?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fountain Valley, California is $1,018,600, against $915,500 across Orange County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fountain Valley?
Median gross rent in Fountain Valley is $2,507 a month, against $7,256 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 Fountain Valley?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fountain Valley, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $311,000 a year. That covers the full $7,256 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fountain Valley, 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.