Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaMerced CountyGustine Population 6,118 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Gustine, California

A $423,000 home here costs

$3,140

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,175. The real number is $966 higher every month — 44% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Gustine median: $422,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $338,400 borrowed $2,175
Property tax0.513% effective rate for Gustine itself $181
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $66
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $353
Total monthly $3,140

Gustine against Merced County and California

MeasureGustineMerced County
Median home value$422,500$368,400
Median property tax$2,167$2,487
Effective tax rate0.513%0.675%
Median gross rent$1,345$1,284
Population6,118285,597

The weather behind that power bill

Gustine sits in Merced County, which averages a high of 95.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.3°F in its coldest, with 10.45" of precipitation a year and 59% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 980 cooling and 2,909 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Merced County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Merced County

Full Merced County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Gustine?

A $423,000 home in Gustine, California costs approximately $3,140 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,175 principal and interest, $181 property tax, $66 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $353 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Gustine?

Gustine has an effective property tax rate of 0.513%, based on a median home value of $422,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,167. That is lower than the Merced County average of 0.675%.

What is the average home price in Gustine?

The median owner-occupied home value in Gustine, California is $422,500, against $368,400 across Merced County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Gustine?

Median gross rent in Gustine is $1,345 a month, against $3,140 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Gustine — 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.

Full methodology