Cost to Own
United StatesCaliforniaLos Angeles CountyTorrance Population 143,499 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Torrance, California

A $1,037,000 home here costs

$7,277

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,331. The real number is $1,946 higher every month — 36% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Torrance median: $1,036,600
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, $829,600 borrowed $5,331
Property tax0.641% effective rate for Torrance itself $554
Homeowners insuranceCalifornia averages $1,403/yr (NAIC), or 0.186% of home value $161
Electricity33.25¢/kWh — California residential average, EIA $299
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $864
Total monthly $7,277

Torrance against Los Angeles County and California

MeasureTorranceLos Angeles County
Median home value$1,036,600$783,300
Median property tax$6,644$5,438
Effective tax rate0.641%0.694%
Median gross rent$2,214$1,893
Population143,4999,848,406

The weather behind that power bill

Torrance sits in Los Angeles County, which averages a high of 88.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 44.2°F in its coldest, with 13.91" of precipitation a year and 67% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,481 cooling and 1,400 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Los Angeles County

Full Los Angeles County cost breakdown · Every county in California

Common questions

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

A $1,037,000 home in Torrance, California costs approximately $7,277 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $5,331 principal and interest, $554 property tax, $161 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $864 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Torrance?

Torrance has an effective property tax rate of 0.641%, based on a median home value of $1,036,600 and median real estate taxes of $6,644. That is lower than the Los Angeles County average of 0.694%.

What is the average home price in Torrance?

The median owner-occupied home value in Torrance, California is $1,036,600, against $783,300 across Los Angeles County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Torrance?

Median gross rent in Torrance is $2,214 a month, against $7,277 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 Torrance — 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