Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Mesa, California
A $739,000 home here costs
$5,307per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,799. The real number is $1,508 higher every month — 40% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
La Mesa against San Diego County and California
| Measure | La Mesa | San Diego County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $738,800 | $791,600 |
| Median property tax | $4,927 | $5,542 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.667% | 0.700% |
| Median gross rent | $1,958 | $2,154 |
| Population | 60,835 | 3,282,782 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Mesa sits in San Diego County, which averages a high of 90.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.6°F in its coldest, with 14.65" of precipitation a year and 62% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 957 cooling and 2,329 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Diego County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Diego County
Full San Diego County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Mesa?
A $739,000 home in La Mesa, California costs approximately $5,307 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,799 principal and interest, $411 property tax, $115 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $616 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Mesa?
La Mesa has an effective property tax rate of 0.667%, based on a median home value of $738,800 and median real estate taxes of $4,927. That is lower than the San Diego County average of 0.700%.
What is the average home price in La Mesa?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Mesa, California is $738,800, against $791,600 across San Diego County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Mesa?
Median gross rent in La Mesa is $1,958 a month, against $5,307 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 La Mesa — 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.