Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaTehama CountyLos Molinos Population 1,590 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Los Molinos, California

A $220,000 home here costs

$1,851

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,131. The real number is $720 higher every month — 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Los Molinos median: $220,300
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, $176,000 borrowed $1,131
Property tax0.741% effective rate for Los Molinos itself $136
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $34
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $183
Total monthly $1,851

Los Molinos against Tehama County and California

MeasureLos MolinosTehama County
Median home value$220,300$315,600
Median property tax$1,633$1,996
Effective tax rate0.741%0.632%
Median gross rent$1,108$1,159
Population1,59065,520

The weather behind that power bill

Los Molinos sits in Tehama County, which averages a high of 98.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.8°F in its coldest, with 23.12" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,926 cooling and 2,525 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Tehama County

Full Tehama County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Los Molinos?

A $220,000 home in Los Molinos, California costs approximately $1,851 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,131 principal and interest, $136 property tax, $34 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $183 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Los Molinos?

Los Molinos has an effective property tax rate of 0.741%, based on a median home value of $220,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,633. That is higher than the Tehama County average of 0.632%.

What is the average home price in Los Molinos?

The median owner-occupied home value in Los Molinos, California is $220,300, against $315,600 across Tehama County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Los Molinos?

Median gross rent in Los Molinos is $1,108 a month, against $1,851 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 Los Molinos — 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