Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaSanta Clara CountyMountain View Population 82,363 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Mountain View, California

A $1,927,000 home here costs

$13,012

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $9,907. The real number is $3,105 higher every month — 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Mountain View median: $1,927,400
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, $1,541,600 borrowed $9,907
Property tax0.519% effective rate for Mountain View itself $833
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $299
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $1,606
Total monthly $13,012

Mountain View against Santa Clara County and California

MeasureMountain ViewSanta Clara County
Median home value$1,927,400$1,382,800
Median property tax$10,001$9,766
Effective tax rate0.519%0.706%
Median gross rent$2,975$2,814
Population82,3631,903,297

The weather behind that power bill

Mountain View sits in Santa Clara County, which averages a high of 81.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.7°F in its coldest, with 13.48" of precipitation a year and 58% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 624 cooling and 2,184 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Santa Clara County

Full Santa Clara County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Mountain View?

A $1,927,000 home in Mountain View, California costs approximately $13,012 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $9,907 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $299 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $1,606 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Mountain View?

Mountain View has an effective property tax rate of 0.519%, based on a median home value of $1,927,400 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Santa Clara County average of 0.706%.

What is the average home price in Mountain View?

The median owner-occupied home value in Mountain View, California is $1,927,400, against $1,382,800 across Santa Clara County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Mountain View?

Median gross rent in Mountain View is $2,975 a month, against $13,012 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 Mountain View — 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