Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning in California
The widest gaps between median rent and the full monthly cost of owning the median home. A large gap does not automatically mean renting is the better decision, because rent buys no equity and is not fixed for thirty years, but it does show where the market prices ownership at a steep premium.
California ranked
| # | County | Monthly saved by renting | Median rent | Monthly to own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo County | $7,563 | $2,893 | $10,456 |
| 2 | San Francisco County | $7,337 | $2,419 | $9,756 |
| 3 | Marin County | $7,280 | $2,584 | $9,864 |
| 4 | Santa Clara County | $6,985 | $2,814 | $9,799 |
| 5 | Alameda County | $5,281 | $2,318 | $7,599 |
| 6 | Santa Cruz County | $5,013 | $2,172 | $7,185 |
| 7 | Orange County | $4,185 | $2,352 | $6,537 |
| 8 | Napa County | $3,890 | $2,141 | $6,031 |
| 9 | Los Angeles County | $3,753 | $1,893 | $5,646 |
| 10 | Contra Costa County | $3,747 | $2,322 | $6,069 |
| 11 | San Luis Obispo County | $3,711 | $1,899 | $5,610 |
| 12 | San Benito County | $3,576 | $1,922 | $5,498 |
| 13 | San Diego County | $3,553 | $2,154 | $5,707 |
| 14 | Sonoma County | $3,538 | $2,093 | $5,631 |
| 15 | Ventura County | $3,294 | $2,248 | $5,542 |
| 16 | Santa Barbara County | $3,248 | $2,050 | $5,298 |
| 17 | Monterey County | $3,215 | $1,995 | $5,210 |
| 18 | El Dorado County | $3,039 | $1,626 | $4,665 |
| 19 | Placer County | $2,881 | $1,991 | $4,872 |
| 20 | Nevada County | $2,788 | $1,635 | $4,423 |
| 21 | Yolo County | $2,617 | $1,757 | $4,374 |
| 22 | Mendocino County | $2,268 | $1,325 | $3,593 |
| 23 | Solano County | $2,247 | $2,088 | $4,335 |
| 24 | Mono County | $2,226 | $1,593 | $3,819 |
| 25 | San Joaquin County | $2,048 | $1,633 | $3,681 |
| 26 | Sacramento County | $2,005 | $1,702 | $3,707 |
| 27 | Riverside County | $2,001 | $1,814 | $3,815 |
| 28 | Humboldt County | $1,865 | $1,249 | $3,114 |
| 29 | San Bernardino County | $1,815 | $1,706 | $3,521 |
| 30 | Tuolumne County | $1,788 | $1,247 | $3,035 |
| 31 | Amador County | $1,777 | $1,380 | $3,157 |
| 32 | Butte County | $1,689 | $1,369 | $3,058 |
| 33 | Calaveras County | $1,680 | $1,615 | $3,295 |
| 34 | Colusa County | $1,678 | $1,139 | $2,817 |
| 35 | Yuba County | $1,671 | $1,209 | $2,880 |
| 36 | Stanislaus County | $1,660 | $1,528 | $3,188 |
| 37 | Sutter County | $1,659 | $1,364 | $3,023 |
| 38 | Trinity County | $1,544 | $922 | $2,466 |
| 39 | Merced County | $1,491 | $1,284 | $2,775 |
| 40 | Plumas County | $1,471 | $1,034 | $2,505 |
| 41 | Madera County | $1,471 | $1,307 | $2,778 |
| 42 | Glenn County | $1,458 | $1,103 | $2,561 |
| 43 | Fresno County | $1,457 | $1,300 | $2,757 |
| 44 | Inyo County | $1,437 | $1,140 | $2,577 |
| 45 | Mariposa County | $1,437 | $1,268 | $2,705 |
| 46 | Sierra County | $1,386 | $1,181 | $2,567 |
| 47 | Shasta County | $1,370 | $1,267 | $2,637 |
| 48 | Tehama County | $1,241 | $1,159 | $2,400 |
| 49 | Del Norte County | $1,233 | $1,182 | $2,415 |
| 50 | Kern County | $1,218 | $1,220 | $2,438 |
| 51 | Imperial County | $1,189 | $1,012 | $2,201 |
| 52 | Siskiyou County | $1,151 | $1,043 | $2,194 |
| 53 | Lake County | $1,141 | $1,292 | $2,433 |
| 54 | Kings County | $1,135 | $1,228 | $2,363 |
| 55 | Tulare County | $1,132 | $1,206 | $2,338 |
| 56 | Lassen County | $992 | $1,043 | $2,035 |
| 57 | Modoc County | $881 | $818 | $1,699 |
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
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in California