Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in South San Francisco, California
A $1,160,000 home here costs
$8,063per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,964. The real number is $2,099 higher every month — 35% 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 San Francisco against San Mateo County and California
| Measure | South San Francisco | San Mateo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,160,100 | $1,494,500 |
| Median property tax | $7,030 | $9,167 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.606% | 0.613% |
| Median gross rent | $2,833 | $2,893 |
| Population | 64,487 | 745,100 |
The weather behind that power bill
South San Francisco sits in San Mateo County, which averages a high of 66.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.9°F in its coldest, with 26.04" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 12 cooling and 3,701 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Mateo County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Mateo County
Full San Mateo County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in South San Francisco?
A $1,160,000 home in South San Francisco, California costs approximately $8,063 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $5,964 principal and interest, $586 property tax, $180 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $967 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in South San Francisco?
South San Francisco has an effective property tax rate of 0.606%, based on a median home value of $1,160,100 and median real estate taxes of $7,030. That is in line with the San Mateo County average of 0.613%.
What is the average home price in South San Francisco?
The median owner-occupied home value in South San Francisco, California is $1,160,100, against $1,494,500 across San Mateo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South San Francisco?
Median gross rent in South San Francisco is $2,833 a month, against $8,063 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for South San Francisco — 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.