Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in South Dos Palos, California
A $278,000 home here costs
$2,173per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,429. The real number is $744 higher every month — 52% 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.
South Dos Palos against Merced County and California
| Measure | South Dos Palos | Merced County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $278,000 | $368,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,224 | $2,487 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.440% | 0.675% |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,284 |
| Population | 1,637 | 285,597 |
The weather behind that power bill
South Dos Palos sits in Merced County, which averages a high of 95.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.3°F in its coldest, with 10.45" of precipitation a year and 59% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 980 cooling and 2,909 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Merced County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Merced County
Full Merced County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in South Dos Palos?
A $278,000 home in South Dos Palos, California costs approximately $2,173 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,429 principal and interest, $102 property tax, $43 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $232 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in South Dos Palos?
South Dos Palos has an effective property tax rate of 0.440%, based on a median home value of $278,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,224. That is lower than the Merced County average of 0.675%.
What is the average home price in South Dos Palos?
The median owner-occupied home value in South Dos Palos, California is $278,000, against $368,400 across Merced County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South Dos Palos?
Rent data is not published for South Dos Palos at this level of detail.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for South Dos Palos — 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.