Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sonoma, California
A $954,000 home here costs
$6,950per 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 $298,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,201. The real number is $1,749 higher every month, 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Sonoma 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.
Sonoma against Sonoma County and California
| Measure | Sonoma | Sonoma County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $954,300 | $779,000 |
| Median property tax | $7,066 | $5,580 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.740% | 0.716% |
| Median gross rent | $2,216 | $2,093 |
| Population | 10,726 | 485,642 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sonoma 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 Sonoma 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 Sonoma every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Sonoma I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Sonoma?
A $954,000 home in Sonoma, California costs approximately $6,950 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $5,201 principal and interest, $588 property tax, $148 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $795 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sonoma?
Sonoma has an effective property tax rate of 0.740%, based on a median home value of $954,300 and median real estate taxes of $7,066. That is higher than the Sonoma County average of 0.716%.
What is the average home price in Sonoma?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sonoma, California is $954,300, against $779,000 across Sonoma County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sonoma?
Median gross rent in Sonoma is $2,216 a month, against $6,950 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 Sonoma?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Sonoma, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $298,000 a year. That covers the full $6,950 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sonoma, 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.