Cost to Own
United States › Rankings › California Counties ranked 57 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year

Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year

Highest Price-to-Rent Ratios in California

The counties where a home costs the most years of rent. A high ratio does not mean a place is overpriced. It can also mean rents are held down, or that buyers are paying for land, schools or a view that a renter cannot get at any price. It does mean the arithmetic of buying rests more on what the house is worth later and less on what it saves you each month. Median home value over twelve months of median gross rent, both Census five-year estimates.

Where does yours land? Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.

California ranked

#County Price-to-rentMedian homeMedian rent
1 San Francisco County 47.6 yrs$1,380,500$2,419
2 Marin County 44.8 yrs$1,390,000$2,584
3 San Mateo County 43.0 yrs$1,494,500$2,893
4 Santa Clara County 41.0 yrs$1,382,800$2,814
5 Santa Cruz County 39.0 yrs$1,015,200$2,172
6 Alameda County 38.0 yrs$1,057,400$2,318
7 Los Angeles County 34.5 yrs$783,300$1,893
8 San Luis Obispo County 34.1 yrs$777,200$1,899
9 El Dorado County 32.8 yrs$640,500$1,626
10 Napa County 32.6 yrs$838,800$2,141
11 San Benito County 32.6 yrs$751,500$1,922
12 Orange County 32.4 yrs$915,500$2,352
13 Sonoma County 31.0 yrs$779,000$2,093
14 Nevada County 30.7 yrs$602,800$1,635
15 San Diego County 30.6 yrs$791,600$2,154
16 Mendocino County 30.6 yrs$486,000$1,325
17 Monterey County 30.2 yrs$723,100$1,995
18 Santa Barbara County 29.9 yrs$735,700$2,050
19 Contra Costa County 29.8 yrs$830,800$2,322
20 Trinity County 29.7 yrs$329,000$922
21 Ventura County 28.5 yrs$768,400$2,248
22 Yolo County 28.2 yrs$593,800$1,757
23 Humboldt County 27.9 yrs$418,800$1,249
24 Placer County 27.6 yrs$658,800$1,991
25 Colusa County 27.4 yrs$375,100$1,139
26 Tuolumne County 27.1 yrs$406,200$1,247
27 Mono County 26.9 yrs$514,300$1,593
28 Plumas County 26.4 yrs$327,400$1,034
29 Yuba County 26.2 yrs$380,000$1,209
30 Glenn County 25.6 yrs$338,400$1,103
31 Amador County 25.5 yrs$422,800$1,380
32 San Joaquin County 25.2 yrs$494,500$1,633
33 Butte County 24.9 yrs$408,700$1,369
34 Inyo County 24.7 yrs$338,400$1,140
35 Sacramento County 24.4 yrs$498,900$1,702
36 Sutter County 24.4 yrs$399,400$1,364
37 Merced County 23.9 yrs$368,400$1,284
38 Sierra County 23.6 yrs$334,100$1,181
39 Solano County 23.5 yrs$589,600$2,088
40 Mariposa County 23.5 yrs$358,000$1,268
41 Madera County 23.4 yrs$367,700$1,307
42 Riverside County 23.4 yrs$510,300$1,814
43 Stanislaus County 23.3 yrs$426,600$1,528
44 Fresno County 23.2 yrs$362,600$1,300
45 San Bernardino County 23.2 yrs$475,000$1,706
46 Imperial County 23.0 yrs$279,500$1,012
47 Shasta County 22.8 yrs$347,200$1,267
48 Calaveras County 22.8 yrs$441,800$1,615
49 Siskiyou County 22.7 yrs$284,500$1,043
50 Tehama County 22.7 yrs$315,600$1,159
51 Del Norte County 22.5 yrs$319,600$1,182
52 Modoc County 21.6 yrs$212,000$818
53 Kern County 21.2 yrs$310,600$1,220
54 Tulare County 20.9 yrs$303,000$1,206
55 Kings County 20.7 yrs$305,700$1,228
56 Lassen County 20.7 yrs$259,500$1,043
57 Lake County 20.4 yrs$316,800$1,292

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

Highest Price-to-Rent Ratios across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in California

Other rankings

All 31 rankings