Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Smith River, California
A $346,000 home here costs
$2,622per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,779. The real number is $843 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Smith River against Del Norte County and California
| Measure | Smith River | Del Norte County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $345,800 | $319,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,613 | $1,872 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.466% | 0.586% |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,182 |
| Population | 1,270 | 27,293 |
The weather behind that power bill
Smith River sits in Del Norte County, which averages a high of 64.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.4°F in its coldest, with 57.98" of precipitation a year and 49% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 4 cooling and 4,423 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Del Norte County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Del Norte County
Full Del Norte County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Smith River?
A $346,000 home in Smith River, California costs approximately $2,622 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,779 principal and interest, $134 property tax, $54 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $288 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Smith River?
Smith River has an effective property tax rate of 0.466%, based on a median home value of $345,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,613. That is lower than the Del Norte County average of 0.586%.
What is the average home price in Smith River?
The median owner-occupied home value in Smith River, California is $345,800, against $319,600 across Del Norte County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Smith River?
Rent data is not published for Smith River at this level of detail.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Smith River — 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.