California real estate investing data by county
Updated 2026-11-09 · Official Census, HUD, NAIC and FHFA figures
What does it cost to own and rent in California?
Across California's 58 counties, the median county has an effective property tax rate of 0.70%, a median home value of $453,950 and a median rent of $1,528 a month. Los Angeles, the most populous county, has a median home value of $783,300 and a 0.69% tax rate. Property tax is lowest in Trinity (0.54%) and highest in Kern (0.91%). The average homeowners premium is $1,655 a year. On a $250,000 purchase, the Los Angeles rate works out to about $1,725 a year in property tax.
- Median property tax rate
- 0.70%
- Median home value
- $453,950
- Median rent / month
- $1,528
- Average insurance / year
- $1,655
Is there a transfer tax in California?
No state share; the documentary transfer tax is imposed by county ordinance at $0.55 per $500 or fraction where consideration exceeds $100. Counties levy $0.55 per $500 by ordinance under R&T Code 11911 on consideration net of liens remaining at sale; in incorporated areas Butte County splits it 50/50 with the city. Rules change and exemptions exist, so confirm with your title company. Butte County (citing R&T Code 11911)
California property tax, home values and rent by county
Select a column heading to sort.
| Los Angeles | 0.69% | $5,438 | $783,300 | $1,893 | $3,760 | 7.5% | 6.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | 0.70% | $5,542 | $791,600 | $2,154 | $3,743 | 9.0% | 7.1% |
| Orange | 0.67% | $6,096 | $915,500 | $2,352 | $4,153 | 8.9% | 6.6% |
| Riverside | 0.82% | $4,189 | $510,300 | $1,814 | $2,771 | 9.1% | 7.5% |
| San Bernardino | 0.70% | $3,346 | $475,000 | $1,706 | $2,771 | 8.8% | 7.3% |
| Santa Clara | 0.71% | $9,766 | $1,382,800 | $2,814 | $4,396 | 6.2% | 5.1% |
| Alameda | 0.76% | $8,061 | $1,057,400 | $2,318 | $3,592 | 4.3% | 5.0% |
| Sacramento | 0.76% | $3,768 | $498,900 | $1,702 | $2,887 | 6.5% | 6.7% |
| Contra Costa | 0.83% | $6,903 | $830,800 | $2,322 | $3,592 | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| Fresno | 0.75% | $2,704 | $362,600 | $1,300 | $2,333 | 8.3% | 7.1% |
| Kern | 0.91% | $2,833 | $310,600 | $1,220 | $2,293 | 8.6% | 6.5% |
| Ventura | 0.69% | $5,326 | $768,400 | $2,248 | $3,287 | 7.6% | 5.9% |
| San Francisco | 0.68% | $9,412 | $1,380,500 | $2,419 | $4,832 | 2.6% | 3.0% |
| San Joaquin | 0.76% | $3,782 | $494,500 | $1,633 | $2,790 | 6.8% | 6.8% |
| San Mateo | 0.61% | $9,167 | $1,494,500 | $2,893 | $4,832 | 4.1% | 4.1% |
| Stanislaus | 0.71% | $3,025 | $426,600 | $1,528 | $2,410 | 7.1% | 7.0% |
| Sonoma | 0.72% | $5,580 | $779,000 | $2,093 | $3,903 | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Tulare | 0.73% | $2,213 | $303,000 | $1,206 | $1,995 | 8.9% | 7.3% |
| Solano | 0.75% | $4,408 | $589,600 | $2,088 | $3,053 | 5.3% | 5.8% |
| Santa Barbara | 0.66% | $4,870 | $735,700 | $2,050 | $3,990 | 9.3% | 6.5% |
| Monterey | 0.66% | $4,782 | $723,100 | $1,995 | $3,261 | 7.5% | 6.8% |
| Placer | 0.85% | $5,600 | $658,800 | $1,991 | $2,887 | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| Merced | 0.68% | $2,487 | $368,400 | $1,284 | $2,087 | 7.8% | 7.4% |
| San Luis Obispo | 0.70% | $5,475 | $777,200 | $1,899 | $3,634 | 8.1% | 6.3% |
| Santa Cruz | 0.62% | $6,305 | $1,015,200 | $2,172 | $5,531 | 5.4% | 4.9% |
| Marin | 0.72% | $10,001 | $1,390,000 | $2,584 | $4,832 | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Yolo | 0.77% | $4,567 | $593,800 | $1,757 | $2,956 | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Butte | 0.69% | $2,819 | $408,700 | $1,369 | $2,090 | 4.3% | 5.7% |
| El Dorado | 0.70% | $4,510 | $640,500 | $1,626 | $2,887 | 5.7% | 5.4% |
| Shasta | 0.70% | $2,442 | $347,200 | $1,267 | $2,189 | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Imperial | 0.84% | $2,348 | $279,500 | $1,012 | $1,819 | 9.8% | 7.7% |
| Madera | 0.70% | $2,575 | $367,700 | $1,307 | $2,022 | 8.4% | 7.4% |
| Kings | 0.75% | $2,295 | $305,700 | $1,228 | $2,094 | 8.5% | 7.1% |
| Napa | 0.70% | $5,840 | $838,800 | $2,141 | $4,201 | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| Humboldt | 0.65% | $2,731 | $418,800 | $1,249 | $2,152 | 6.1% | 5.7% |
| Nevada | 0.74% | $4,468 | $602,800 | $1,635 | $2,610 | 4.8% | 5.1% |
| Sutter | 0.78% | $3,111 | $399,400 | $1,364 | $2,216 | 6.3% | 6.9% |
| Mendocino | 0.69% | $3,376 | $486,000 | $1,325 | $2,330 | 4.2% | 4.7% |
| Yuba | 0.75% | $2,865 | $380,000 | $1,209 | $2,216 | 6.6% | 7.4% |
| Lake | 0.72% | $2,295 | $316,800 | $1,292 | $2,238 | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| San Benito | 0.81% | $6,078 | $751,500 | $1,922 | $4,160 | 5.3% | 5.5% |
| Tehama | 0.63% | $1,996 | $315,600 | $1,159 | $1,885 | 5.1% | 5.9% |
| Tuolumne | 0.67% | $2,737 | $406,200 | $1,247 | $2,082 | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Calaveras | 0.71% | $3,154 | $441,800 | $1,615 | $2,123 | 5.5% | 5.8% |
| Siskiyou | 0.66% | $1,880 | $284,500 | $1,043 | $1,736 | 6.8% | 6.1% |
| Amador | 0.70% | $2,939 | $422,800 | $1,380 | $2,219 | 5.0% | 5.4% |
| Lassen | 0.72% | $1,868 | $259,500 | $1,043 | $1,728 | 4.5% | 5.1% |
| Glenn | 0.65% | $2,190 | $338,400 | $1,103 | $1,867 | 5.3% | 6.6% |
| Del Norte | 0.59% | $1,872 | $319,600 | $1,182 | $1,947 | 8.4% | 7.8% |
| Colusa | 0.66% | $2,481 | $375,100 | $1,139 | $1,861 | 6.3% | 7.0% |
| Plumas | 0.72% | $2,360 | $327,400 | $1,034 | $1,883 | 6.8% | 6.5% |
| Inyo | 0.71% | $2,392 | $338,400 | $1,140 | $1,996 | 8.9% | 6.5% |
| Mariposa | 0.68% | $2,437 | $358,000 | $1,268 | $2,058 | 6.4% | 5.5% |
| Trinity | 0.54% | $1,772 | $329,000 | $922 | $1,510 | — | — |
| Mono | 0.77% | $3,936 | $514,300 | $1,593 | $2,374 | 8.4% | 6.4% |
| Modoc | 0.68% | $1,445 | $212,000 | $818 | $1,501 | 9.1% | 5.8% |
| Sierra | 0.78% | $2,590 | $334,100 | $1,181 | $2,113 | 2.7% | 4.6% |
| Alpine | 0.68% | $3,190 | $466,100 | — | $2,113 | — | — |
Common questions
What is the typical property tax rate in California?
The median California county has an effective property tax rate of 0.70%, calculated from median taxes paid and median home value in the Census American Community Survey (2019-2023). Rates range from 0.54% in Trinity to 0.91% in Kern.
How much is homeowners insurance in California?
The average California HO-3 homeowners premium was $1,655 a year in 2023, according to the NAIC. That ranks 21 of 51 among the states and DC. This is a statewide average, so get a quote for the specific property.
What is fair market rent in Los Angeles, California?
HUD's 2027 Fair Market Rent for a three-bedroom home in Los Angeles is $3,760 a month, and $2,964 for a two-bedroom. HUD sets these at about the 40th percentile of rents, including utilities, so treat them as a cautious baseline.
How fast have home prices risen in California?
The median California county saw home prices rise 6.3% a year over the five years to 2025, according to the FHFA House Price Index. In Los Angeles, the ten-year pace was 6.5% a year. Those years include an unusually strong run, so don't assume the same pace going forward.
Where these numbers come from
Tax rate is median real estate taxes paid divided by median owner-occupied home value, ACS 2019-2023. A buyer may be reassessed higher than a long-time owner, so check the county's actual rate. Rents are HUD Fair Market Rents for 2027. Insurance is the NAIC 2023 statewide HO-3 average. Price changes are annualized from FHFA's developmental county House Price Index through 2025, and a dash means FHFA doesn't report that county. Past growth doesn't predict future growth. Updated 2026-11-09. Estimates only, not financial advice.
Run a California deal with these numbers
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