California Cost of Living
Housing costs and affordability data for 58 counties.
Average Monthly Rent
$1,691/mo
Average Home Value
$604,112
Average Owner Cost
$1,881/mo
County cost atlas
California housing costs by county
Compare rent, entry-price context, owner costs, and cost score in one state view. Pin a county, switch layers, then open the full county profile when a place needs closer review.
Counties
58
Avg rent
$1,691/mo
Owner cost
$1,881/mo
Avg score
10.0
Higher means lower cost pressure
Atlas layers use U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Rent, owner cost, and home value are county medians. Cost score rewards lower rent and lower owner costs, but affordability still depends on income, household size, commute, debt, and personal finances. Use this as decision context, not personalized financial advice.
State Cost Summary
Use these state averages as a starting point, then scan the atlas and rankings for the county-level spread behind them.
Housing Costs in California: An Overview
The unweighted mean of county median rents in California is $1,691 per month, which is 20% above the national ACS median of $1,413. This gives every county equal weight and is not an official statewide median.
Within California, housing costs vary significantly by county. San Mateo County has the highest median rent in this dataset at $2,922 per month and a median home value of $1,559,600. Modoc County has the lowest reported median rent at $836 per month and a median home value of $224,700.
The unweighted mean of county median home values in California is $604,112, 82% higher than the national ACS median of $332,700. The unweighted mean of county median household incomes is $89,387; neither figure is a household-weighted statewide estimate.
Before comparing places in California, start with the county-level pattern. Costs can swing dramatically between rural and urban counties. Use the atlas, rankings, and county links below to compare rent, home values, owner costs, and rent burden before opening a specific county profile.
Distribution
Rent Distribution in California
How median rents are spread across 56 counties
Highest Median Rent Counties
Lowest Median Rent Counties
All California Counties
Sorted by median rent, highest first. A higher cost score means lower rent and owner cost pressure within the national scoring model.
| County | Median Rent | Home Value | Owner Cost | Cost Score | Rent/Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo County | Over $1,500$2,922/mo | $1,559,600 | $3,355/mo | 0.1 | 29.3% |
| Santa Clara County | Over $1,500$2,857/mo | $1,490,600 | $3,323/mo | 0.1 | 27.7% |
| Marin County | Over $1,500$2,668/mo | $1,507,300 | $3,717/mo | 0.1 | 33.3% |
| San Francisco County | Over $1,500$2,476/mo | $1,394,500 | $3,272/mo | 0.1 | 25.1% |
| Orange County | Over $1,500$2,434/mo | $962,600 | $2,591/mo | 0.5 | 33.4% |
| Contra Costa County | Over $1,500$2,375/mo | $866,800 | $2,745/mo | 0.3 | 33.5% |
| Alameda County | Over $1,500$2,357/mo | $1,090,100 | $2,961/mo | 0.3 | 30.2% |
| Ventura County | Over $1,500$2,317/mo | $822,700 | $2,436/mo | 0.8 | 34.3% |
| Santa Cruz County | Over $1,500$2,264/mo | $1,027,500 | $2,437/mo | 0.8 | 31.1% |
| San Diego County | Over $1,500$2,246/mo | $854,700 | $2,535/mo | 0.7 | 33.9% |
| Napa County | Over $1,500$2,237/mo | $869,500 | $2,359/mo | 1.0 | 32.4% |
| Solano County | Over $1,500$2,163/mo | $617,700 | $2,260/mo | 1.3 | 34.7% |
| Sonoma County | Over $1,500$2,158/mo | $815,500 | $2,346/mo | 1.1 | 32.3% |
| Santa Barbara County | Over $1,500$2,131/mo | $790,700 | $2,198/mo | 1.5 | 34.7% |
| Placer County | Over $1,500$2,069/mo | $688,100 | $2,401/mo | 1.3 | 34.1% |
| Monterey County | Over $1,500$2,055/mo | $781,000 | $2,101/mo | 1.9 | 32.7% |
| San Benito County | Over $1,500$1,992/mo | $793,400 | $2,795/mo | 0.9 | 29.3% |
| San Luis Obispo County | Over $1,500$1,992/mo | $824,700 | $2,118/mo | 1.9 | 34.1% |
| Los Angeles County | Over $1,500$1,954/mo | $834,200 | $2,427/mo | 1.5 | 34.1% |
| Riverside County | Over $1,500$1,901/mo | $557,300 | $2,035/mo | 2.6 | 34.4% |
| Yolo County | Over $1,500$1,857/mo | $620,700 | $2,019/mo | 3.0 | 35.9% |
| San Bernardino County | Over $1,500$1,801/mo | $505,000 | $1,844/mo | 3.8 | 34.3% |
| Sacramento County | Over $1,500$1,790/mo | $534,200 | $1,906/mo | 3.6 | 33.1% |
| San Joaquin County | Over $1,500$1,734/mo | $530,700 | $1,972/mo | 3.8 | 31.9% |
| El Dorado County | Over $1,500$1,715/mo | $679,900 | $2,300/mo | 2.9 | 32.0% |
| Nevada County | Over $1,500$1,677/mo | $621,800 | $2,050/mo | 3.8 | 34.1% |
| Mono County | Over $1,500$1,629/mo | $639,400 | $2,219/mo | 3.6 | 29.6% |
| Calaveras County | Over $1,500$1,625/mo | $457,200 | $1,619/mo | 6.6 | 34.9% |
| Stanislaus County | Over $1,500$1,623/mo | $450,100 | $1,676/mo | 6.2 | 32.4% |
| Sutter County | $1,000–$1,500$1,439/mo | $433,500 | $1,581/mo | 8.8 | 31.7% |
| Amador County | $1,000–$1,500$1,421/mo | $449,800 | $1,659/mo | 8.4 | 28.0% |
| Butte County | $1,000–$1,500$1,414/mo | $424,700 | $1,442/mo | 10.6 | 36.7% |
| Fresno County | $1,000–$1,500$1,392/mo | $388,800 | $1,582/mo | 9.4 | 32.9% |
| Madera County | $1,000–$1,500$1,390/mo | $393,200 | $1,559/mo | 9.7 | 33.6% |
| Lake County | $1,000–$1,500$1,368/mo | $324,300 | $1,226/mo | 15.1 | 36.3% |
| Merced County | $1,000–$1,500$1,343/mo | $391,800 | $1,438/mo | 11.6 | 31.0% |
| Kings County | $1,000–$1,500$1,331/mo | $324,300 | $1,495/mo | 11.1 | 29.4% |
| Mendocino County | $1,000–$1,500$1,317/mo | $512,200 | $1,430/mo | 12.4 | 32.3% |
| Shasta County | $1,000–$1,500$1,317/mo | $366,400 | $1,488/mo | 11.6 | 31.7% |
| Yuba County | $1,000–$1,500$1,311/mo | $412,300 | $1,747/mo | 9.3 | 31.2% |
| Mariposa County | $1,000–$1,500$1,305/mo | $387,900 | $1,412/mo | 12.8 | 29.2% |
| Tuolumne County | $1,000–$1,500$1,302/mo | $433,200 | $1,723/mo | 9.7 | 34.1% |
| Kern County | $1,000–$1,500$1,300/mo | $338,300 | $1,507/mo | 11.7 | 33.9% |
| Humboldt County | $1,000–$1,500$1,287/mo | $446,900 | $1,297/mo | 15.1 | 37.1% |
| Tulare County | $1,000–$1,500$1,280/mo | $330,100 | $1,433/mo | 12.9 | 30.3% |
| Del Norte County | $1,000–$1,500$1,233/mo | $342,000 | $908/mo | 29.5 | 35.4% |
| Plumas County | $1,000–$1,500$1,194/mo | $360,200 | $1,132/mo | 20.6 | 26.4% |
| Inyo County | $1,000–$1,500$1,189/mo | $348,700 | $934/mo | 28.9 | 22.5% |
| Tehama County | $1,000–$1,500$1,184/mo | $339,600 | $1,308/mo | 16.9 | 33.3% |
| Colusa County | $1,000–$1,500$1,157/mo | $393,400 | $1,409/mo | 16.0 | 32.6% |
| Glenn County | $1,000–$1,500$1,120/mo | $352,400 | $1,162/mo | 21.6 | 30.4% |
| Siskiyou County | $1,000–$1,500$1,091/mo | $309,500 | $978/mo | 29.8 | 34.7% |
| Trinity County | $1,000–$1,500$1,073/mo | $325,800 | $681/mo | 50.0 | 23.8% |
| Imperial County | $1,000–$1,500$1,056/mo | $309,600 | $1,260/mo | 22.0 | 31.6% |
| Lassen County | $1,000–$1,500$1,000/mo | $265,300 | $1,181/mo | 26.3 | 27.4% |
| Modoc County | Under $1,000$836/mo | $224,700 | $703/mo | 65.6 | 28.4% |
| Alpine County | N/A | $590,200 | $1,935/mo | 3.8 | 22.1% |
| Sierra County | N/A | $331,900 | $1,449/mo | 11.3 | 28.4% |
Compare California to Other States
See how California counties stack up against counties in other states. Compare rent, home values, and affordability side by side.
Start a ComparisonFrequently Asked Questions About California Housing Costs
Which California county has the lowest median rent?
Which California county has the highest median rent?
How does California's cost of living compare to the national average?
What is the unweighted county-mean home value in California?
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Compare Moving QuotesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.