LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Duarte, CA

High Pressure

Living in Duarte, CA costs about 72% more than the national average (Cost Index: 172). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $790,671 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $97,952, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Duarte already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 24% rent burden, 8.1x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 261. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Duarte.

Monthly Housing
$1,991/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
24%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$5,672/mo
After housing and debt · $1,891/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: everyday costs
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 31%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
172
Very Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$790,671
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $710,700
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,991/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$97,952
National: $78,538
Population
21,921
Purchasing Power
73
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
261 / 100
~2.6x more expensive
Rent Index
148 / 100
48% above average
Goods & Groceries
107 / 100
7% pricier than average
Utilities
159 / 100
59% higher utility bills
Healthcare & Services
104 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
172
Very Expensive · 72% above average

Duarte Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $790,671 and California's property tax rate of 0.71%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$97,952
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
24%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
8.1x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Duarte looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Duarte, CA

Est. Annual Property Tax
$5,614
Monthly Impact
$468
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.71%
National avg: ~1.00%

California Place Tax Context

Tax TypeCaliforniaNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.71%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate13.3%~5.0%
State Sales Tax8.85%~5.0%

Compare Duarte to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Duarte, CA
172
148
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Duarte, CA: 261
Rent Prices
148

FAQ: Living in Duarte

Is Duarte, CA an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Duarte is about 72% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 172. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $790,671, and monthly rents average roughly $1,991. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run higher than average as well.

How does Duarte fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,991, while local median household income is $97,952. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 24% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Duarte, CA?+

California has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 13.3%. The effective property tax rate is 0.71%. On a home worth $790,671, that translates to roughly $5,614 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 8.85% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Duarte, CA?+

The typical monthly rent in Duarte is around $1,991. That's about 48% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $790,671, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Duarte, CA?+

The median home in Duarte is valued at $790,671. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $3,998/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 63% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Duarte?+

Grocery prices in Duarte are noticeably pricier compared to the rest of the US (index: 107, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are on the high side (index: 159). Both add meaningful weight to your monthly budget here.

What is Duarte, CA like to live in?+

Duarte is a small town with a population of about 21,921. The median age of residents is 44.6, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 7.84%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in California

If Duarte feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in California

Use these city pages when you want to compare Duarte against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly