Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Freedom, California
A $664,000 home here costs
$4,794per 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 $205,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,620. The real number is $1,174 higher every month, 32% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Santa Cruz County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Freedom from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,211 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 Santa Cruz 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.
Freedom against Santa Cruz County and California
| Measure | Freedom | Santa Cruz County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $664,200 | $1,015,200 |
| Median property tax | $3,599 | $6,305 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.542% | 0.621% |
| Median gross rent | $1,755 | $2,172 |
| Population | 3,211 | 266,021 |
The weather behind that power bill
Freedom sits in Santa Cruz County, which averages a high of 76.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.9°F in its coldest, with 30.63" of precipitation a year and 60% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 180 cooling and 2,487 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Santa Cruz County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Santa Cruz County
Full Santa Cruz County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Freedom 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 Freedom every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Freedom I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Freedom?
A $664,000 home in Freedom, California costs approximately $4,794 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $3,620 principal and interest, $300 property tax, $103 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $553 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Freedom?
Freedom has an effective property tax rate of 0.542%, based on a median home value of $664,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,599. That is lower than the Santa Cruz County average of 0.621%.
What is the average home price in Freedom?
The median owner-occupied home value in Freedom, California is $664,200, against $1,015,200 across Santa Cruz County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Freedom?
Median gross rent in Freedom is $1,755 a month, against $4,794 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 Freedom?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Freedom, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $205,500 a year. That covers the full $4,794 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Freedom, 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.