Cost of Ownership · California
The true cost of owning a home in California
For a median $695,400 home in California, here is the full monthly cost — not just the mortgage. Built from public data: the state's median home value and effective property-tax rate, its average homeowners premium, and the current 30-year rate. This is a representative example, not a quote.
Lender-approved payment
$4,723/mo
PITI + PMI
True monthly cost
$5,302/mo
everything, incl. upkeep
The gap
+$580/mo
what approval leaves out
Effective property-tax rate
0.71%
Avg. homeowners premium
$1,492/yr
NFIP flood claims on record
53,545
These figures use California’s median home value and a 10% down payment as a representative example. Your price, rate, and county rate will differ — run your own numbers in the True Cost tool, see how California ranks on property tax and insurance, or browse every state.