Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaMonterey CountyPrunedale Population 19,286 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Prunedale, California

A $760,000 home here costs

$5,408

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,907. The real number is $1,501 higher every month — 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Prunedale median: $760,200
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, $608,000 borrowed $3,907
Property tax0.605% effective rate for Prunedale itself $383
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $118
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $633
Total monthly $5,408

Prunedale against Monterey County and California

MeasurePrunedaleMonterey County
Median home value$760,200$723,100
Median property tax$4,597$4,782
Effective tax rate0.605%0.661%
Median gross rent$1,711$1,995
Population19,286435,834

The weather behind that power bill

Prunedale sits in Monterey County, which averages a high of 85.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.1°F in its coldest, with 11.83" of precipitation a year and 59% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 578 cooling and 2,288 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Monterey County

Full Monterey County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Prunedale?

A $760,000 home in Prunedale, California costs approximately $5,408 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,907 principal and interest, $383 property tax, $118 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $633 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Prunedale?

Prunedale has an effective property tax rate of 0.605%, based on a median home value of $760,200 and median real estate taxes of $4,597. That is lower than the Monterey County average of 0.661%.

What is the average home price in Prunedale?

The median owner-occupied home value in Prunedale, California is $760,200, against $723,100 across Monterey County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Prunedale?

Median gross rent in Prunedale is $1,711 a month, against $5,408 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 Prunedale — 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