Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaContra Costa CountyTara Hills Population 4,912 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Tara Hills, California

A $612,000 home here costs

$4,520

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,146. The real number is $1,374 higher every month — 44% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Tara Hills median: $612,200
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, $489,600 borrowed $3,146
Property tax0.789% effective rate for Tara Hills itself $402
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $95
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $510
Total monthly $4,520

Tara Hills against Contra Costa County and California

MeasureTara HillsContra Costa County
Median home value$612,200$830,800
Median property tax$4,832$6,903
Effective tax rate0.789%0.831%
Median gross rent$2,593$2,322
Population4,9121,161,458

The weather behind that power bill

Tara Hills sits in Contra Costa County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.3°F in its coldest, with 26.05" of precipitation a year and 58% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 926 cooling and 3,309 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Contra Costa County

Full Contra Costa County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Tara Hills?

A $612,000 home in Tara Hills, California costs approximately $4,520 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,146 principal and interest, $402 property tax, $95 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $510 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Tara Hills?

Tara Hills has an effective property tax rate of 0.789%, based on a median home value of $612,200 and median real estate taxes of $4,832. That is lower than the Contra Costa County average of 0.831%.

What is the average home price in Tara Hills?

The median owner-occupied home value in Tara Hills, California is $612,200, against $830,800 across Contra Costa County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Tara Hills?

Median gross rent in Tara Hills is $2,593 a month, against $4,520 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 Tara Hills — 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