Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaLassen CountySusanville Population 14,992 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Susanville, California

A $234,000 home here costs

$1,945

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,203. The real number is $742 higher every month — 62% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Susanville median: $234,000
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $187,200 borrowed $1,203
Property tax0.735% effective rate for Susanville itself $143
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $36
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $195
Total monthly $1,945

Susanville against Lassen County and California

MeasureSusanvilleLassen County
Median home value$234,000$259,500
Median property tax$1,720$1,868
Effective tax rate0.735%0.720%
Median gross rent$905$1,043
Population14,99231,177

The weather behind that power bill

Susanville sits in Lassen County, which averages a high of 88.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.3°F in its coldest, with 13.02" of precipitation a year and 51% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 456 cooling and 5,834 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Lassen County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Lassen County

Full Lassen County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Susanville?

A $234,000 home in Susanville, California costs approximately $1,945 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,203 principal and interest, $143 property tax, $36 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $195 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Susanville?

Susanville has an effective property tax rate of 0.735%, based on a median home value of $234,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,720. That is higher than the Lassen County average of 0.720%.

What is the average home price in Susanville?

The median owner-occupied home value in Susanville, California is $234,000, against $259,500 across Lassen County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Susanville?

Median gross rent in Susanville is $905 a month, against $1,945 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 Susanville — 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.

Full methodology