Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Modesto, California
A $416,000 home here costs
$3,180per 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 $136,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,304. The real number is $876 higher every month, 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Stanislaus 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.
Modesto against Stanislaus County and California
| Measure | Modesto | Stanislaus County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $415,600 | $426,600 |
| Median property tax | $2,727 | $3,025 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.656% | 0.709% |
| Median gross rent | $1,609 | $1,528 |
| Population | 218,614 | 552,250 |
The weather behind that power bill
Modesto sits in Stanislaus County, which averages a high of 95.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.6°F in its coldest, with 12.27" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,624 cooling and 2,300 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Stanislaus County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Stanislaus County
Full Stanislaus County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Modesto 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 Modesto every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Modesto I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Modesto?
A $416,000 home in Modesto, California costs approximately $3,180 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $2,304 principal and interest, $227 property tax, $64 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $347 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Modesto?
Modesto has an effective property tax rate of 0.656%, based on a median home value of $415,600 and median real estate taxes of $2,727. That is lower than the Stanislaus County average of 0.709%.
What is the average home price in Modesto?
The median owner-occupied home value in Modesto, California is $415,600, against $426,600 across Stanislaus County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Modesto?
Median gross rent in Modesto is $1,609 a month, against $3,180 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 Modesto?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Modesto, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $136,500 a year. That covers the full $3,180 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Modesto, 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.