Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sea Ranch, California
A $1,198,000 home here costs
$8,586per 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 $368,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $6,531. The real number is $2,055 higher every month, 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Sonoma County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Sea Ranch from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,200 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 Sonoma 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.
Sea Ranch against Sonoma County and California
| Measure | Sea Ranch | Sonoma County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,198,200 | $779,000 |
| Median property tax | $7,836 | $5,580 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.654% | 0.716% |
| Median gross rent | $1,350 | $2,093 |
| Population | 1,200 | 485,642 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sea Ranch sits in Sonoma County, which averages a high of 84.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 36.9°F in its coldest, with 33.78" of precipitation a year and 60% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 410 cooling and 2,904 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Sonoma County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Sonoma County
Full Sonoma County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Sea Ranch 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 Sea Ranch every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Sea Ranch I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Sea Ranch?
A $1,198,000 home in Sea Ranch, California costs approximately $8,586 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $6,531 principal and interest, $653 property tax, $186 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $998 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sea Ranch?
Sea Ranch has an effective property tax rate of 0.654%, based on a median home value of $1,198,200 and median real estate taxes of $7,836. That is lower than the Sonoma County average of 0.716%.
What is the average home price in Sea Ranch?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sea Ranch, California is $1,198,200, against $779,000 across Sonoma County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sea Ranch?
Median gross rent in Sea Ranch is $1,350 a month, against $8,586 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 Sea Ranch?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Sea Ranch, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $368,000 a year. That covers the full $8,586 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sea Ranch, 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.