Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Palma, California
A $917,000 home here costs
$6,450per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,714. The real number is $1,736 higher every month — 37% 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 Palma against Orange County and California
| Measure | La Palma | Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $916,600 | $915,500 |
| Median property tax | $5,546 | $6,096 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.605% | 0.666% |
| Median gross rent | $2,239 | $2,352 |
| Population | 15,375 | 3,164,063 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Palma 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 $299 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
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Palma?
A $917,000 home in La Palma, California costs approximately $6,450 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,714 principal and interest, $462 property tax, $142 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $764 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Palma?
La Palma has an effective property tax rate of 0.605%, based on a median home value of $916,600 and median real estate taxes of $5,546. That is lower than the Orange County average of 0.666%.
What is the average home price in La Palma?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Palma, California is $916,600, against $915,500 across Orange County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Palma?
Median gross rent in La Palma is $2,239 a month, against $6,450 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 Palma — 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.