Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Cheapest Counties to Own a Home in California
Where the full monthly cost of owning the local median home is lowest. Every figure includes tax, insurance, utilities and maintenance, not just the mortgage.
Where does yours land?
Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.
California ranked
| # | County | Monthly to own | Median home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modoc County | $1,699 | $212,000 | 0.682% |
| 2 | Lassen County | $2,035 | $259,500 | 0.720% |
| 3 | Siskiyou County | $2,194 | $284,500 | 0.661% |
| 4 | Imperial County | $2,201 | $279,500 | 0.840% |
| 5 | Tulare County | $2,338 | $303,000 | 0.730% |
| 6 | Kings County | $2,363 | $305,700 | 0.751% |
| 7 | Tehama County | $2,400 | $315,600 | 0.632% |
| 8 | Del Norte County | $2,415 | $319,600 | 0.586% |
| 9 | Lake County | $2,433 | $316,800 | 0.724% |
| 10 | Kern County | $2,438 | $310,600 | 0.912% |
| 11 | Trinity County | $2,466 | $329,000 | 0.539% |
| 12 | Plumas County | $2,505 | $327,400 | 0.721% |
| 13 | Glenn County | $2,561 | $338,400 | 0.647% |
| 14 | Sierra County | $2,567 | $334,100 | 0.775% |
| 15 | Inyo County | $2,577 | $338,400 | 0.707% |
| 16 | Shasta County | $2,637 | $347,200 | 0.703% |
| 17 | Mariposa County | $2,705 | $358,000 | 0.681% |
| 18 | Fresno County | $2,757 | $362,600 | 0.746% |
| 19 | Merced County | $2,775 | $368,400 | 0.675% |
| 20 | Madera County | $2,778 | $367,700 | 0.700% |
| 21 | Colusa County | $2,817 | $375,100 | 0.661% |
| 22 | Yuba County | $2,880 | $380,000 | 0.754% |
| 23 | Sutter County | $3,023 | $399,400 | 0.779% |
| 24 | Tuolumne County | $3,035 | $406,200 | 0.674% |
| 25 | Butte County | $3,058 | $408,700 | 0.690% |
| 26 | Humboldt County | $3,114 | $418,800 | 0.652% |
| 27 | Amador County | $3,157 | $422,800 | 0.695% |
| 28 | Stanislaus County | $3,188 | $426,600 | 0.709% |
| 29 | Calaveras County | $3,295 | $441,800 | 0.714% |
| 30 | Alpine County | $3,452 | $466,100 | 0.684% |
| 31 | San Bernardino County | $3,521 | $475,000 | 0.704% |
| 32 | Mendocino County | $3,593 | $486,000 | 0.695% |
| 33 | San Joaquin County | $3,681 | $494,500 | 0.765% |
| 34 | Sacramento County | $3,707 | $498,900 | 0.755% |
| 35 | Riverside County | $3,815 | $510,300 | 0.821% |
| 36 | Mono County | $3,819 | $514,300 | 0.765% |
| 37 | Solano County | $4,335 | $589,600 | 0.748% |
| 38 | Yolo County | $4,374 | $593,800 | 0.769% |
| 39 | Nevada County | $4,423 | $602,800 | 0.741% |
| 40 | El Dorado County | $4,665 | $640,500 | 0.704% |
| 41 | Placer County | $4,872 | $658,800 | 0.850% |
| 42 | Monterey County | $5,210 | $723,100 | 0.661% |
| 43 | Santa Barbara County | $5,298 | $735,700 | 0.662% |
| 44 | San Benito County | $5,498 | $751,500 | 0.809% |
| 45 | Ventura County | $5,542 | $768,400 | 0.693% |
| 46 | San Luis Obispo County | $5,610 | $777,200 | 0.704% |
| 47 | Sonoma County | $5,631 | $779,000 | 0.716% |
| 48 | Los Angeles County | $5,646 | $783,300 | 0.694% |
| 49 | San Diego County | $5,707 | $791,600 | 0.700% |
| 50 | Napa County | $6,031 | $838,800 | 0.696% |
| 51 | Contra Costa County | $6,069 | $830,800 | 0.831% |
| 52 | Orange County | $6,537 | $915,500 | 0.666% |
| 53 | Santa Cruz County | $7,185 | $1,015,200 | 0.621% |
| 54 | Alameda County | $7,599 | $1,057,400 | 0.762% |
| 55 | San Francisco County | $9,756 | $1,380,500 | 0.682% |
| 56 | Santa Clara County | $9,799 | $1,382,800 | 0.706% |
| 57 | Marin County | $9,864 | $1,390,000 | 0.719% |
| 58 | San Mateo County | $10,456 | $1,494,500 | 0.613% |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Cheapest Counties to Own a Home across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in California