State housing guide

Rent, home prices, and cost of living in California

Across the 644 California cities with committed home, rent, and income data, the population-weighted cost index is 192, 92% above the U.S. baseline of 100. In that sample, the median city home value is $699,937, the median city monthly rent is $2,679, and the median city household income is $95,756.

Cross-city statistics over the 644 California cities with committed home, rent, and income data; not a statewide household median. Home value and rent: Zillow ZHVI/ZORI Aug 2026 where matched, HUD FY2027 2-bedroom FMR where no ZORI match, otherwise Census ACS 2024 place estimates. Household income: Census ACS 2024 place estimates. Cost index: population-weighted across the sample from those housing inputs plus BEA 2024 regional price parities.

Mortgage benchmark baseline 2026-09-24 is past its weekly update cadence; a newer official vintage exists but is not reflected.
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Cost vs U.S.92% abovePopulation-weighted · 644 cities · Zillow/HUD/ACS/BEA
Median home value$699,937Median of 644 city estimates · Zillow Aug 2026 / HUD FMR / ACS 2024
Median monthly rent$2,679/moMedian of 644 city estimates · Zillow Aug 2026 / HUD FMR / ACS 2024
Median household income$95,756Median of 644 city estimates · ACS 2024
Mortgage benchmark baseline 2026-09-24 is past its weekly update cadence; a newer official vintage exists but is not reflected.
Average rent$2,718/moAverage across cities with complete estimates · 31% of average household income
Average home value$848,627Average across cities with complete estimates · 8.1x average household income
Property-tax proxy0.70%State-level owner-occupied context
Cities covered662Committed place-level records

Major cities in California

Check state taxOpen the dedicated calculator

Tax context: top income-tax rate 13.3%, estimated combined sales tax 9.03%, property-tax proxy 0.70%. Use the dedicated tax tool for an income scenario.

Full city directory

All 662 California cities

Every committed place in California, grouped by population. Each entry links straight to its cost-of-living page, and the list is rendered on the server so it is visible without JavaScript.

Cities of 100,000 or more 76 cities

Cities of 25,000 to 99,999 231 cities

Cities of 10,000 to 24,999 191 cities

Places under 10,000 164 cities

Data boundary: city housing and income use committed Zillow, HUD FMR, and Census inputs; non-housing costs use BEA regional proxies; mortgage estimates use the committed FRED benchmark. HUD FMRs are 2-bedroom 40th-percentile gross-rent program benchmarks, not market medians. Tax values are state context, not an individual filing or parcel bill. The state-level effective owner-occupied property-tax proxy is from the Tax Foundation 2026 edition, based on 2024 ACS.

Frequently asked questions about California

California housing questions

What is the most affordable city to live in California?+

Among the cities we track, Salton City stands out as the most affordable option in California. The median home value there is $200,600, and monthly rent typically runs around $1,347. The local median household income is $47,827, which tends to go further here than in much of the state.

What is the most expensive city in California?+

Montecito is currently the priciest market in CA. Homes there are valued at a median of $5,604,595, and renters can expect to pay around $17,833/month. Incomes are higher too — the median household earns $231,005 — but whether that fully offsets the cost premium depends on your lifestyle.

How are taxes in California?+

California uses a progressive model; 13.3% is top marginal-rate context. The state-level effective owner-occupied property-tax proxy is 0.7% and is not an individual bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is 9.03%.

How much does housing vary across California?+

There's a huge range. In Salton City, the median home costs around $200,600. In Montecito, that number jumps to $5,604,595 — roughly 27x more. Rents follow a similar pattern: approximately $1,347/month vs. $17,833/month. Where you choose to settle within CA can make a dramatic difference in your monthly budget.

Is California a good state to move to?+

It depends on your priorities and budget. California has a wide range of living costs depending on the city. Typical home values range from around $200,600 in lower-cost tracked places to $5,604,595 in higher-cost tracked places. Use the city comparison tool to compare housing, rent, state-level tax proxies, and everyday cost pressure across locations in CA.