Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Palo Cedro, California
A $530,000 home here costs
$4,042per 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 $173,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,936. The real number is $1,106 higher every month, 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Shasta County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Palo Cedro from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,561 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Shasta County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Palo Cedro against Shasta County and California
| Measure | Palo Cedro | Shasta County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $529,900 | $347,200 |
| Median property tax | $4,136 | $2,442 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.781% | 0.703% |
| Median gross rent | $1,204 | $1,267 |
| Population | 3,561 | 181,554 |
The weather behind that power bill
Palo Cedro sits in Shasta County, which averages a high of 99.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.2°F in its coldest, with 33.52" of precipitation a year and 53% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,032 cooling and 2,576 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Shasta County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Shasta County
Full Shasta County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Palo Cedro 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 Palo Cedro every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Palo Cedro I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Palo Cedro?
A $530,000 home in Palo Cedro, California costs approximately $4,042 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $2,936 principal and interest, $345 property tax, $82 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $442 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Palo Cedro?
Palo Cedro has an effective property tax rate of 0.781%, based on a median home value of $529,900 and median real estate taxes of $4,136. That is higher than the Shasta County average of 0.703%.
What is the average home price in Palo Cedro?
The median owner-occupied home value in Palo Cedro, California is $529,900, against $347,200 across Shasta County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Palo Cedro?
Median gross rent in Palo Cedro is $1,204 a month, against $4,042 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 Palo Cedro?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Palo Cedro, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $173,000 a year. That covers the full $4,042 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Palo Cedro, 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.