Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Mission Viejo, California
A $946,000 home here costs
$6,885per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $295,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,240. The real number is $1,645 higher every month, 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Orange 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.
Mission Viejo against Orange County and California
| Measure | Mission Viejo | Orange County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $946,300 | $915,500 |
| Median property tax | $5,675 | $6,096 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.600% | 0.666% |
| Median gross rent | $2,713 | $2,352 |
| Population | 92,415 | 3,164,063 |
The weather behind that power bill
Mission Viejo 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 $169 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
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Mission Viejo 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 Mission Viejo every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Mission Viejo I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Mission Viejo?
A $946,000 home in Mission Viejo, California costs approximately $6,885 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $5,240 principal and interest, $473 property tax, $147 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $788 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Mission Viejo?
Mission Viejo has an effective property tax rate of 0.600%, based on a median home value of $946,300 and median real estate taxes of $5,675. That is lower than the Orange County average of 0.666%.
What is the average home price in Mission Viejo?
The median owner-occupied home value in Mission Viejo, California is $946,300, against $915,500 across Orange County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Mission Viejo?
Median gross rent in Mission Viejo is $2,713 a month, against $6,885 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 Mission Viejo?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Mission Viejo, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $295,000 a year. That covers the full $6,885 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Mission Viejo, 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.