Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County), California
A $958,000 home here costs
$6,759per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,925. The real number is $1,834 higher every month — 37% 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.
Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County) against Santa Cruz County and California
| Measure | Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County) | Santa Cruz County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $958,300 | $1,015,200 |
| Median property tax | $6,250 | $6,305 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.652% | 0.621% |
| Median gross rent | $2,221 | $2,172 |
| Population | 4,895 | 266,021 |
The weather behind that power bill
Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County) sits in Santa Cruz County, which averages a high of 76.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.9°F in its coldest, with 30.63" of precipitation a year and 60% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 180 cooling and 2,487 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Santa Cruz County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Santa Cruz County
Full Santa Cruz County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County)?
A $958,000 home in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County), California costs approximately $6,759 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $4,925 principal and interest, $521 property tax, $148 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $798 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County)?
Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County) has an effective property tax rate of 0.652%, based on a median home value of $958,300 and median real estate taxes of $6,250. That is higher than the Santa Cruz County average of 0.621%.
What is the average home price in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County)?
The median owner-occupied home value in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County), California is $958,300, against $1,015,200 across Santa Cruz County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County)?
Median gross rent in Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County) is $2,221 a month, against $6,759 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 Twin Lakes CDP (Santa Cruz County) — 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.