Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaContra Costa CountyMartinez Population 36,926 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Martinez, California

A $825,000 home here costs

$5,926

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,241. The real number is $1,685 higher every month — 40% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Martinez median: $824,700
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, $660,000 borrowed $4,241
Property tax0.731% effective rate for Martinez itself $503
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $128
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $688
Total monthly $5,926

Martinez against Contra Costa County and California

MeasureMartinezContra Costa County
Median home value$824,700$830,800
Median property tax$6,028$6,903
Effective tax rate0.731%0.831%
Median gross rent$2,265$2,322
Population36,9261,161,458

The weather behind that power bill

Martinez sits in Contra Costa County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.3°F in its coldest, with 26.05" of precipitation a year and 58% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 926 cooling and 3,309 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Contra Costa County

Full Contra Costa County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

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

A $825,000 home in Martinez, California costs approximately $5,926 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,241 principal and interest, $503 property tax, $128 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $688 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Martinez?

Martinez has an effective property tax rate of 0.731%, based on a median home value of $824,700 and median real estate taxes of $6,028. That is lower than the Contra Costa County average of 0.831%.

What is the average home price in Martinez?

The median owner-occupied home value in Martinez, California is $824,700, against $830,800 across Contra Costa County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Martinez?

Median gross rent in Martinez is $2,265 a month, against $5,926 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 Martinez — 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