Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Santa Maria, California
A $478,000 home here costs
$3,569per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $153,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,606. The real number is $963 higher every month, 37% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Santa Barbara 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.
Santa Maria against Santa Barbara County and California
| Measure | Santa Maria | Santa Barbara County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $478,200 | $735,700 |
| Median property tax | $3,274 | $4,870 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.685% | 0.662% |
| Median gross rent | $1,842 | $2,050 |
| Population | 109,880 | 443,975 |
The weather behind that power bill
Santa Maria sits in Santa Barbara County, which averages a high of 93.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.4°F in its coldest, with 21.13" of precipitation a year and 65% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 657 cooling and 2,432 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Santa Barbara County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Santa Barbara County
Full Santa Barbara County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Santa Maria I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Santa Maria?
A $478,000 home in Santa Maria, California costs approximately $3,569 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,606 principal and interest, $273 property tax, $74 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $398 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Santa Maria?
Santa Maria has an effective property tax rate of 0.685%, based on a median home value of $478,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,274. That is higher than the Santa Barbara County average of 0.662%.
What is the average home price in Santa Maria?
The median owner-occupied home value in Santa Maria, California is $478,200, against $735,700 across Santa Barbara County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Santa Maria?
Median gross rent in Santa Maria is $1,842 a month, against $3,569 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 Santa Maria?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Santa Maria, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $153,000 a year. That covers the full $3,569 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Santa Maria, 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.