Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Menlo Park, California
A $2,000,000 home here costs
$14,120per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $605,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $10,904. The real number is $3,216 higher every month, 29% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Mateo County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Menlo Park against San Mateo County and California
| Measure | Menlo Park | San Mateo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $2,000,000+ | $1,494,500 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $9,167 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.613% | 0.613% |
| Median gross rent | $3,156 | $2,893 |
| Population | 32,775 | 745,100 |
The weather behind that power bill
Menlo Park sits in San Mateo County, which averages a high of 66.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.9°F in its coldest, with 26.04" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 12 cooling and 3,701 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Mateo County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Mateo County
Full San Mateo County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Menlo Park averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Menlo Park every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Menlo Park I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Menlo Park?
A $2,000,000 home in Menlo Park, California costs approximately $14,120 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $10,904 principal and interest, $1,022 property tax, $310 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $1,667 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Menlo Park?
Place-level tax data is not published for Menlo Park, so the San Mateo County rate of 0.613% applies here.
What is the average home price in Menlo Park?
The median owner-occupied home value in Menlo Park, California is above $2 million (the Census reporting cap), against $1,494,500 across San Mateo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Menlo Park?
Median gross rent in Menlo Park is $3,156 a month, against $14,120 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Menlo Park?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Menlo Park, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $605,000 a year. That covers the full $14,120 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Menlo Park, 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.