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The following table shows current 30-year Ashburn mortgage refinance rates. You can use the menus to select other loan durations, alter the loan amount. or change your location.

Home Mortgage Rates in California

Venice Canal Historic District.

Palm trees, beaches and more than 300 sunny days per year on average - who wouldn’t want to live in the Golden State? And that’s precisely the problem. Demand for homes in California has soared; consequently the prices reflect that.

The real estate market in California is one of the country's most expensive. Median incomes do not always keep pace with average home prices, making the state's property market all the more difficult. The high cost of living in the state has led to some of the highest poverty rates in the nation in spite of the state being the sixth largest economy in the world. Nevertheless, pockets of affordability do exist outside the state's major cities, and mortgages with reasonable interest rates can be found without a high credit score.

California Real Estate Trends

Before & During the 2008 Housing Crisis

One of the consequences of California's increasing home prices is the decline in home ownership. According to data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, the percent of Californians who own rather than rent has been on the decline since 2006.

The housing crisis of 2007 caused much turmoil in the Golden State, as it did in many other parts of the country. Before the real estate bubble burst in 2008, California had seen more than its fair share of real estate booms and busts. In fact, one could say that expansions and contractions are a natural part of California's long-term upward trend in prices.

For example, prices for luxury homes in the San Francisco Bay Area saw a significant decline in 2000 after the dotcom bubble burst on the Nasdaq. And then 9/11 struck a year later, and home prices suffered even more. But they proved to be resilient, showing a significant recovery until the mortgage crisis of 2007 jolted them once again.

San Fransicsco viewed from Alamo Square.

This real estate fiasco caused the number of foreclosures to increase, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. The number of construction permits went down a very significant 35%. The same research agency estimates that home prices fell more than 15% in central valley areas, but only slightly declined in most coastal regions.

Data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) for San Mateo and San Francisco counties show a tendency toward boom and bust cycles in the short term, but with long term appreciation. A recession in the early 1990's, for example, precipitated a decline in home prices, but there was a recovery in the mid-90's.

After the 2008 Housing Crisis

Although the Great Recession of 2007/2008 was worse than other misfortunes in California's real estate history, the state was nevertheless able to recover from it. The Golden State's ability to quickly bounce back is a testament to the strength of the housing market there.

High real estate prices hold down homeownership rates across California. Throughout the mid 1980s to 1990 the ownership rate held between 53% and 55%. The tech stock bubble caused the ownership rate to jump to 58.2% in 2001. The ensuing housing bubble drove ownership rates to a peak of 60.2% in 2006. By 2016 the ownership rate had fallen to 53.8%. The median ownership rate across the nation is about 10% higher, reaching 63.9% in Q3 of 2017.

For instance, compared to Las Vegas, Los Angeles has done a much better job of recovering from the housing crisis. According to S&P/Case-Shiller indexes, home prices in the City of Angels are almost back to pre-recession levels; whereas Las Vegas continues to struggle. California's city has seen a 95% recovery in home prices, whereas Nevada's is still 31% below 2006 levels. A two-bedroom house in Los Angeles proper may cost up to three times as much as a similar home in say, Austin, Texas.

According to Trulia's heat scale, California, along with New York, New Jersey, Connecticut are all colored the brightest shade of red, indicating a sweltering average home price. Neighboring Nevada and nearby New Mexico, among others, come in at a distinctly warm orange. For the most bang for your buck, head to North Dakota, Iowa, Indiana or Ohio where Trulia.com has rated these areas a cool deep green to indicate low average house prices.

Real estate prices in California have been on the rise recently. The median value of a home in the state is currently around $506,000. The average list price is just under $500,000. Per square foot, the average list price is $296.

These numbers are quite a bit higher than the national average, where the median home value sits at less than $201,000. The average list price in the U.S. is just north of $258,000. On a per-square-foot basis, this translates into $139. The National Association of Realtors also estimates the average home price in the United States to be slightly less than $260,000. So California is roughly twice as expensive as the rest of the country.

According to the California Association of Realtors (C.A.R.), the median sale price of resold single detached homes in the state is just under $550,000. This price does vary from region to region. Santa Clara is much more expensive than Riverside, for example.

Prices of new detached homes will of course be higher than existing houses. In Salinas, new homes typically sell for $350,000 up to $970,000. In Orange County, new homes go for $400,000 to nearly $5,000,000.

C.A.R. also notes that the median price of condos in California is slightly above $443,000, a small increase compared to previous figures. San Francisco, home to Facebook and other tech startups, has the most expensive condos with an average resale price of approximately $1,200,000; while Fresno sits at the bottom of the survey at less than $132,000.

According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which is one of the country's most followed indicators for home values, real estate prices in California are currently on the rise. This is true for multiple populated areas. There is no sign of this increase slowing down, so purchasing real estate in California, while pricey now, can only be expected to become more expensive in the near future.

COVID-19 Impacts on the California Real Estate Market

Through the first 3 quarters of 2020 real estate held up far better than it did during the 2008 housing recession. Central banks and politicians reacted faster and much more aggressively to the COVID-19 crisis than they did to the 2008 recession. Many novel and unconventional policies which began in response to the prior recession were used much more aggressively in this recession. For instance, here are some of the policies which were enacted:

  • The Federal Reserve quickly dropped the Fed Funds Rate to zero while suggesting they would buy an unlimited number of Treasury securities and mortgage-backed securities to keep those markets functional.
  • In 4 months the Federal Reserve expanded their balance sheet by over $3 trillion from $4 trillion to over $7 trillion.
  • The Federal Reserve offered forward guidance stating they were unlikely to lift interest rates through 2023.
  • Unemployment benefits were extended in duration, amount, and to people who previously could not qualify for unemployment like self-employed people.
  • The CARES act was a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill. It prohibited evictions for lack of rent payment and prohibited foreclosures for lack of mortgage payments while allowing homebuyers to payment forebearance for up to 360 days.
  • In the 2008 economic criss the FASB did not relax mark-to-market accounting rules until April, 2009. In 2020 domestic & international regulators worked much more quickly to adjust financial reporting requirements.

On November 24, 2020 the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) raised conforming loan limits by 7.42%, reflecting strong annual growth in the nationwide FHFA House Price Index (HPI).

Bay Area Real Estate Volatility

Some big tech companies like Twitter have promoted the work-from-home movement and Pinterest paid $89.5 million to break a large lease in San Francisco.

As employees moved to working remotely that shifted the local real estate supply and demand balance, causing San Francisco median rents for studio apartments to fall 31% year over year in September of 2020. The net out migration from the Bay Area was also shown in recent aggregate sales tax data. If this trend continues it would be the third crash for the San Francisco real estate market in the past couple decades, as the 2008 housing crisis was preceeded by the popping of the Dotcom bubble on March 10, 2000.

State & Federal Income Tax Impacts on Internal Migration

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts (TCJA) bill limited a taxpayer's deduction of state and local taxes (SALT) to $10,000. This dramatically increased the cost of state taxes in states with high marginal income tax rates and relatively high property taxes. A home of modest means in a middle-class neighborhood on the outskirts of the Bay Area can cost $7,000 a year in property taxes. While campaigning Joe Biden stated he wanted to set the top marginal tax rate at 39.7% and re-impose FICA taxes on any income above $400,000. This would effectively make the marginal Federal income tax rate 55% for those in the top bracket. Add in the 13.3% top marginal rate in California and taxpayers could pay a 68.3% marginal rate on income above $1,000,000. That income tax rate would be before other taxes and fees like property taxes, vehicle licensing and registration, and sales taxes.

Some high-income earners like bond investor Jeffrey Gundalach have considered moving due to escalating income taxes coupled with incompetent government leading to rolling brown outs. Low-tax or no income tax states like Florida, Texas, Tenneessee and Nevada have seen net migration from high-tax states like California, New York and New Jersey. Lockdowns destroyed many small businesses while lowering the appeal of cramped living places in big cities. Those combined with the realization that much work can be done remote has many businesses and successful business owners migrating. California legislators proposed a wealth and exit tax. Some high-end spec homes which were listed for $100 million or more sold at steep discounts to their original offering prices as capital has flooded into the stock market & conspicuous consumption is looking less appealing during a time when many people are hurting and politicians are proposing wealth and income taxes.

The COVID-19 Crisis Led to Record Income Inequality

American income inequality was at a 50-year high before the COVID-19 crisis took hold. Wealthier people with higher incomes have a higher likelihood of being able to continue to work from home, whereas many low-wage hospitality workers were hit hard by lockdowns. Some small business owners without access to credit saw their businesses fall apart due to the impacts of lockdowns and demonstrations.

Central bank intervention has led the domestic stock market to recover quickly from the COVID-19 crisis, but many middle class and lower class consumers hold little stock and are still struggling with unemployment. The country has reached record wealth and income inequality which exceeds both that of the gilded age and many third world countries.

Large Metropolitan Areas

CA Rank US Rank Metropolitan Area 2016 Pop 2010 Pop Change % △
1 2 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim 13,310,447 12,828,837 481,610 3.75%
2 11 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward 4,679,166 4,335,391 343,775 7.93%
3 13 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 4,527,837 4,224,851 302,986 7.17%
4 17 San Diego-Carlsbad 3,317,749 3,095,313 222,436 7.19%
5 27 Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade 2,296,418 2,149,127 147,291 6.85%
6 35 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara 1,978,816 1,836,911 141,905 7.73%
7 56 Fresno 979,915 930,450 49,465 5.32%
8 62 Bakersfield 884,788 839,631 45,157 5.38%
9 67 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura 849,738 823,318 26,420 3.21%
10 77 Stockton-Lodi 733,709 685,306 48,403 7.06%
11 102 Modesto 541,560 514,453 27,107 5.27%
12 107 Santa Rosa 503,070 483,878 19,192 3.97%
13 112 Visalia-Porterville 460,437 442,179 18,258 4.13%
14 119 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara 446,170 423,895 22,275 5.25%
15 122 Vallejo-Fairfield 440,207 413,344 26,863 6.50%
16 124 Salinas 435,232 415,057 20,175 4.86%
17 166 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande 282,887 269,637 13,250 4.91%
18 174 Santa Cruz-Watsonville 274,673 262,382 12,291 4.68%
19 178 Merced 268,672 255,793 12,879 5.03%
20 197 Chico 226,864 220,000 6,864 3.12%
21 233 El Centro 180,883 174,528 6,355 3.64%
22 234 Redding 179,631 177,223 2,408 1.36%
23 243 Yuba City 171,926 166,892 5,034 3.02%
24 266 Madera 154,697 150,865 3,832 2.54%
25 279 Hanford-Corcoran 149,785 152,982 -3,197 -2.09%
26 297 Napa 142,166 136,484 5,682 4.16%
27 303 Eureka-Arcata-Fortuna 136,646 134,623 2,023 1.50%
28 385 Truckee-Grass Valley 99,107 98,764 343 0.35%
29 417 Ukiah 87,628 87,841 -213 -0.24%
30 506 Clearlake 64,116 64,665 -549 -0.85%
31 512 Red Bluff 63,276 63,463 -187 -0.29%
32 565 Sonora 53,804 55,365 -1,561 -2.82%
33 809 Susanville 30,870 34,895 -4,025 -11.53%
34 839 Crescent City 27,540 28,610 -1,070 -3.74%

Popular Cities in California

Not many states in America have as many fashionable, trendy and expensive cities available to choose from as California. Not many states also see as much variation in price from place to place as the Golden State.

Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles with Mount Baldy.

The Los Angeles metro area is the largest populated region in the state, and the second largest in the country, behind only New York City. It encompasses not only L.A., but also Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine, and Long Beach; all five of which are contained within Los Angeles and Orange counties.

There is a vibrant economy in the L.A. metro area, with Anaheim being home to Disneyland, and Los Angeles of course having the entertainment capital of the world, among other industries.

Sports fans have many options to choose from. Both the Lakers and the Clippers play at the Staples Center. The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most storied baseball franchises in history & Anaheim is home to the Los Angeles Angels. Hockey fans can watch both the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks. Multiple pro football teams also call the city home. The Rams are based in Los Angeles & the Chargers play in Carson.

The sky is the limit on housing prices in Beverly Hills. Long Beach has a large shipping port and significant oil reserves, while Irvine is known for its high median incomes and low crime rates.

Aerial View of Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach.

The U.S. Census Bureau reports a median household income of roughly $91,000 for Irvine, which is significantly higher than the state average. The average home value in the city is $795,000, who also reports a median list price of $897,000.

For Los Angeles, median household income relative to housing prices looks much different. The Census Bureau's latest figure is slightly more than $50,000 for median income, while home values are around $630,000. The ratio between median income and average real estate prices doesn't look overly tempting in California's biggest metro area. In August of 2017 California Association of Realtors stated the median Los Angeles county home price was $575,130.

San Diego

San Diego Sunset.

San Diego is the second most populous city in California with an estimated population of 1,406,630 in 2016. The city is known for have a great mild year-round climate, which helps drive tourism. Cruise lines are operated out of San Diego and the the city hosts many popular tourist attractions including the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego. San Diego is also home to the Padres baseball team.

The deepwater port enables the city to have a strong shipbuilding yard and a naval base. The city is also a hub for international trade. Wireless technology firms including Qualcomm, LG and Cricket Communications operate locally. The local university system & research institutions makes the city a leader in biotechnology.

The median local home value was $555,000 in July of 2017, yielding a price per square foot of $416. Local home prices are over 10% above where they were during the prior peak before the Great Recession.

San Francisco

Portrero Hill in San Francisco.

In August of 2017 California Association of Realtors stated the median San Francisco home price was $1.38 million. San Francisco has some of the most expensive real estate in the world, requiring people with typical jobs to live with roommates or commute hours to work. High real estate prices have led to a domestic net outflow from San Francisco & the surrounding Bay Area region.

“The San Francisco Bay Area lost more than 600,000 net domestic migrants between 2000 and 2009 before experiencing a five-year respite. … In 2016, some 26,000 more people left the Bay Area than arrived. San Francisco net migration went from a high of 16,000 positive in 2013 to 12,000 negative three years later.”

 

Other parts of the Bay Area have also seen increasing real estate prices causing a broad-based home affordability issue, which increases congestion as people who can't afford to live in San Francisco commute to work daily.

San Francisco is home to the Giants MLB team & the San Francisco 49ers play about 40 miles south in Santa Clara.

Oakland

Lake Merritt in Downtown Oakland, CA.

Oakland has a large marine cargo port and is home to a number of large corporations including Kaiser Permanente, Dryer's & Clorox.

Being a bit further from the Pacific Ocean, Oakland is a bit warmer than San Francisco. Many tech workers & others who can't afford San Francisco rents commute across the bay each day using either the BART subway system or the Bay Bridge.

Oakland is home to the Golden State Warriors and the Athletics.

Median home sale prices in Oakland were $680,000 in June of 2017 yielding a price per square foot of $555.

San Jose & Silicon Valley

Downtown San Jose, California.

The broader Silicon Valley area has high real estate prices due to the massive wealth of tech firms like Apple, Google & Facebook along with thousands of tech start ups. Some of the employees for these firms live in temporary housing or company dorms, but it is not uncommon for their cafeteria workers to live in a garage.

The Sharks NHL team is based in San Jose.

Sacramento

Space Shuttle Endeavour Flying Over Sacramento.

According to the California Department of Finance, the state's fastest growing city is Sacramento. What is attracting so many people? The city is home to California's state capital plus a major branch of the University of California. The median home price in the city rose from $329,500 to $342,500 in just one year. Local real estate appraiser Ryan Lundquist says that Sacramento has a shortage of housing. Besides the region's pleasant climate, Intel and Kaiser Permanente provide jobs. Basketball fans can watch Kings games.

Fresno

Fresno Skyline.

If you're willing to live inland away from the coast, Fresno has some of the best home values in the state. Located off of State Route 99 between L.A. and San Francisco, Fresno leaves the big cities behind, but still has a population of half a million inhabitants. The city offers a large hospital and a branch of the University of California.

The median home value in Fresno is estimated to be around $226,000. With a median income of over $45,000, the city offers a home value-to-salary ratio of 5.0, much lower than will be found in other cities in the state. The Fresno Bee, a local newspaper, reports that the city was hit hard by the Great Recession, but improvements in employment are now translating into more mortgage applications.

California Census Data

As of July 1, 2016 the state of California has an estimated population of 39,250,017 across 155,779.2 mi² yielding a population density of 251.959 people per mi² across the state.

The following table highlights the July 1, 2016 populations of cities with over 10,000 residents based on United States Census Bureau estimates. For Census Designated Places (CDP) where there was no population estimate available for 2016, the 2011-2015 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates data was used.

All table columns are sortable. Click on the column headers to sort by that column. Click again to sort low to high. Cities with higher levels of population growth typically see the increased demand drive faster real estate price appreciation.

Rank Geography County 2016 Pop 2010 Pop Change % △ Land mi² Pop Den mi²
1 Los Angeles Los Angeles 3,976,322 3,792,621 183,701 4.84% 468.67 8,484.27
2 San Diego San Diego 1,406,630 1,307,402 99,228 7.59% 325.19 4,325.56
3 San Jose Santa Clara 1,025,350 945,942 79,408 8.39% 176.53 5,808.36
4 San Francisco San Francisco 870,887 805,235 65,652 8.15% 46.87 18,580.90
5 Fresno Fresno 522,053 494,665 27,388 5.54% 111.96 4,662.85
6 Sacramento Sacramento 495,234 466,488 28,746 6.16% 97.92 5,057.54
7 Long Beach Los Angeles 470,130 462,257 7,873 1.70% 50.29 9,348.38
8 Oakland Alameda 420,005 390,724 29,281 7.49% 55.79 7,528.32
9 Bakersfield Kern 376,380 347,483 28,897 8.32% 142.16 2,647.58
10 Anaheim Orange 351,043 336,265 14,778 4.39% 49.84 7,043.40
11 Santa Ana Orange 334,217 324,528 9,689 2.99% 27.27 12,255.85
12 Riverside Riverside 324,722 303,871 20,851 6.86% 81.14 4,002.00
13 Stockton San Joaquin 307,072 291,707 15,365 5.27% 61.67 4,979.28
14 Chula Vista San Diego 267,172 243,916 23,256 9.53% 49.63 5,383.28
15 Irvine Orange 266,122 212,375 53,747 25.31% 66.11 4,025.44
16 Fremont Alameda 233,136 214,089 19,047 8.90% 77.46 3,009.76
17 San Bernardino San Bernardino 216,239 209,924 6,315 3.01% 59.2 3,652.69
18 Modesto Stanislaus 212,175 201,165 11,010 5.47% 36.87 5,754.68
19 Fontana San Bernardino 209,665 196,069 13,596 6.93% 42.43 4,941.43
20 Oxnard Ventura 207,906 197,899 10,007 5.06% 26.89 7,731.72
21 Moreno Valley Riverside 205,499 193,365 12,134 6.28% 51.27 4,008.17
22 Glendale Los Angeles 200,831 191,719 9,112 4.75% 30.45 6,595.44
23 Huntington Beach Orange 200,652 189,992 10,660 5.61% 26.75 7,501.01
24 Santa Clarita Los Angeles 181,972 176,320 5,652 3.21% 52.72 3,451.67
25 Rancho Cucamonga San Bernardino 176,534 165,269 11,265 6.82% 39.85 4,429.96
26 Oceanside San Diego 175,464 167,086 8,378 5.01% 41.23 4,255.74
27 Santa Rosa Sonoma 175,155 167,815 7,340 4.37% 41.29 4,242.07
28 Garden Grove Orange 174,858 170,883 3,975 2.33% 17.94 9,746.82
29 Ontario San Bernardino 173,212 163,924 9,288 5.67% 49.94 3,468.40
30 Elk Grove Sacramento 169,743 153,015 16,728 10.93% 42.19 4,023.30
31 Corona Riverside 166,785 152,374 14,411 9.46% 38.83 4,295.26
32 Lancaster Los Angeles 160,106 156,633 3,473 2.22% 94.28 1,698.20
33 Hayward Alameda 158,937 144,186 14,751 10.23% 45.32 3,506.99
34 Palmdale Los Angeles 157,356 152,750 4,606 3.02% 105.96 1,485.05
35 Salinas Monterey 157,218 150,441 6,777 4.50% 23.18 6,782.48
36 Sunnyvale Santa Clara 152,771 140,081 12,690 9.06% 21.99 6,947.29
37 Pomona Los Angeles 152,494 149,058 3,436 2.31% 22.95 6,644.62
38 Escondido San Diego 151,613 143,911 7,702 5.35% 36.81 4,118.80
39 Torrance Los Angeles 147,195 145,438 1,757 1.21% 20.48 7,187.26
40 Pasadena Los Angeles 142,059 137,122 4,937 3.60% 22.97 6,184.55
41 Fullerton Orange 140,721 135,161 5,560 4.11% 22.35 6,296.24
42 Orange Orange 140,504 136,416 4,088 3.00% 24.8 5,665.48
43 Roseville Placer 132,671 118,788 13,883 11.69% 36.22 3,662.92
44 Visalia Tulare 131,074 124,442 6,632 5.33% 36.25 3,615.83
45 Thousand Oaks Ventura 128,888 126,683 2,205 1.74% 55.03 2,342.14
46 Concord Contra Costa 128,726 122,067 6,659 5.46% 30.55 4,213.62
47 Simi Valley Ventura 126,327 124,237 2,090 1.68% 41.48 3,045.49
48 Santa Clara Santa Clara 125,948 116,468 9,480 8.14% 18.41 6,841.28
East Los Angeles CDP Los Angeles 125,415 126,496 -1,081 -0.85% 7.45 16,834.23
49 Victorville San Bernardino 122,265 115,903 6,362 5.49% 73.18 1,670.74
50 Vallejo Solano 121,299 115,942 5,357 4.62% 30.67 3,954.97
51 Berkeley Alameda 121,240 112,580 8,660 7.69% 10.47 11,579.75
52 El Monte Los Angeles 115,807 113,475 2,332 2.06% 9.56 12,113.70
53 Fairfield Solano 114,756 105,321 9,435 8.96% 37.39 3,069.16
54 Carlsbad San Diego 113,952 105,328 8,624 8.19% 37.72 3,021.00
55 Downey Los Angeles 113,267 111,772 1,495 1.34% 12.41 9,127.07
56 Temecula Riverside 113,054 100,097 12,957 12.94% 30.15 3,749.72
57 Costa Mesa Orange 112,822 109,960 2,862 2.60% 15.65 7,209.07
58 Murrieta Riverside 111,674 103,466 8,208 7.93% 33.58 3,325.61
59 Antioch Contra Costa 110,898 102,372 8,526 8.33% 28.35 3,911.75
60 Inglewood Los Angeles 110,654 109,673 981 0.89% 9.07 12,200.00
61 Richmond Contra Costa 109,813 103,701 6,112 5.89% 30.07 3,651.91
62 San Buenaventura Ventura 109,592 106,433 3,159 2.97% 21.65 5,061.99
63 West Covina Los Angeles 107,847 106,098 1,749 1.65% 16.04 6,723.63
64 Clovis Fresno 106,583 95,631 10,952 11.45% 23.28 4,578.31
65 Daly City San Mateo 106,472 101,123 5,349 5.29% 7.66 13,899.74
66 Santa Maria Santa Barbara 106,290 99,553 6,737 6.77% 22.76 4,670.04
67 Norwalk Los Angeles 106,178 105,549 629 0.60% 9.71 10,934.91
68 Burbank Los Angeles 104,447 103,340 1,107 1.07% 17.34 6,023.47
69 San Mateo San Mateo 103,959 97,207 6,752 6.95% 12.13 8,570.40
70 El Cajon San Diego 103,768 99,478 4,290 4.31% 14.43 7,191.13
71 Jurupa Valley Riverside 103,541 95,005 8,536 8.98% 42.94 2,411.29
72 Rialto San Bernardino 103,314 99,171 4,143 4.18% 22.35 4,622.55
73 Vista San Diego 101,659 93,834 7,825 8.34% 18.68 5,442.13
74 Vacaville Solano 98,303 92,428 5,875 6.36% 28.37 3,465.03
75 Compton Los Angeles 97,550 96,455 1,095 1.14% 10.01 9,745.25
76 Mission Viejo Orange 96,396 93,305 3,091 3.31% 17.74 5,433.82
77 South Gate Los Angeles 95,538 94,396 1,142 1.21% 7.24 13,195.86
78 San Marcos San Diego 95,261 83,781 11,480 13.70% 24.37 3,908.95
Arden-Arcade CDP Sacramento 93,993 92,186 1,807 1.96% 17.83 5,271.62
79 Hesperia San Bernardino 93,724 90,173 3,551 3.94% 73.1 1,282.13
80 Carson Los Angeles 92,797 91,714 1,083 1.18% 18.72 4,957.10
81 Santa Monica Los Angeles 92,478 89,736 2,742 3.06% 8.41 10,996.20
82 Santa Barbara Santa Barbara 91,930 88,410 3,520 3.98% 19.47 4,721.62
83 Redding Shasta 91,808 89,861 1,947 2.17% 59.65 1,539.11
84 Chico Butte 91,567 86,187 5,380 6.24% 32.92 2,781.50
85 Westminster Orange 91,565 89,701 1,864 2.08% 10.05 9,110.95
86 San Leandro Alameda 90,465 84,950 5,515 6.49% 13.34 6,781.48
87 Tracy San Joaquin 89,274 82,922 6,352 7.66% 22 4,057.91
88 Livermore Alameda 89,115 80,968 8,147 10.06% 25.17 3,540.52
89 Menifee Riverside 88,531 77,519 11,012 14.21% 46.47 1,905.12
90 Indio Riverside 88,488 76,036 12,452 16.38% 29.18 3,032.49
91 Hawthorne Los Angeles 88,031 84,293 3,738 4.43% 6.08 14,478.78
92 Chino San Bernardino 87,776 77,983 9,793 12.56% 29.64 2,961.40
93 Citrus Heights Sacramento 87,432 83,301 4,131 4.96% 14.23 6,144.20
94 Whittier Los Angeles 86,883 85,331 1,552 1.82% 14.65 5,930.58
95 Newport Beach Orange 86,688 85,186 1,502 1.76% 23.8 3,642.35
96 Alhambra Los Angeles 85,474 83,089 2,385 2.87% 7.63 11,202.36
97 Redwood City San Mateo 84,950 76,815 8,135 10.59% 19.42 4,374.36
98 Hemet Riverside 84,281 78,657 5,624 7.15% 27.85 3,026.25
99 Lake Forest Orange 83,240 77,264 5,976 7.73% 17.82 4,671.16
100 Buena Park Orange 83,156 80,530 2,626 3.26% 10.52 7,904.56
101 Merced Merced 82,594 78,958 3,636 4.60% 23.32 3,541.77
102 Pleasanton Alameda 82,270 70,285 11,985 17.05% 24.11 3,412.28
103 Lakewood Los Angeles 81,138 80,048 1,090 1.36% 9.41 8,622.53
104 Mountain View Santa Clara 80,447 74,066 6,381 8.62% 12 6,703.92
105 Napa Napa 80,416 76,915 3,501 4.55% 17.84 4,507.62
106 Tustin Orange 80,395 75,540 4,855 6.43% 11.08 7,255.87
107 Alameda Alameda 78,906 73,812 5,094 6.90% 10.61 7,436.95
108 Chino Hills San Bernardino 78,822 74,799 4,023 5.38% 44.68 1,764.15
109 Bellflower Los Angeles 77,790 76,616 1,174 1.53% 6.12 12,710.78
110 Milpitas Santa Clara 77,528 66,790 10,738 16.08% 13.59 5,704.78
111 Folsom Sacramento 77,271 72,203 5,068 7.02% 21.95 3,520.32
112 Manteca San Joaquin 76,908 67,096 9,812 14.62% 17.73 4,337.73
113 Upland San Bernardino 76,684 73,732 2,952 4.00% 15.62 4,909.35
114 Baldwin Park Los Angeles 76,464 75,390 1,074 1.42% 6.63 11,533.03
115 Perris Riverside 76,331 68,386 7,945 11.62% 31.39 2,431.70
116 San Ramon Contra Costa 75,639 72,148 3,491 4.84% 18.06 4,188.21
117 Union City Alameda 75,322 69,516 5,806 8.35% 19.47 3,868.62
118 Turlock Stanislaus 72,796 68,549 4,247 6.20% 16.93 4,299.82
119 Apple Valley San Bernardino 72,553 69,135 3,418 4.94% 73.19 991.30
120 Rancho Cordova Sacramento 72,326 64,776 7,550 11.66% 33.51 2,158.34
121 Redlands  San Bernardino 71,288 68,747 2,541 3.70% 36.13 1,973.10
122 Lynwood Los Angeles 71,187 69,772 1,415 2.03% 4.84 14,708.06
123 Pittsburg Contra Costa 70,679 63,264 7,415 11.72% 17.22 4,104.47
124 Walnut Creek Contra Costa 69,122 64,173 4,949 7.71% 19.76 3,498.08
125 Yorba Linda Orange 68,235 64,234 4,001 6.23% 19.48 3,502.82
126 Davis Yolo 68,111 65,622 2,489 3.79% 9.89 6,886.86
127 Redondo Beach Los Angeles 67,867 66,748 1,119 1.68% 6.2 10,946.29
128 Camarillo Ventura 67,363 65,201 2,162 3.32% 19.53 3,449.21
129 Palo Alto Santa Clara 67,024 64,403 2,621 4.07% 23.88 2,806.70
130 South San Francisco San Mateo 66,980 63,632 3,348 5.26% 9.14 7,328.23
131 Yuba City Sutter 66,845 64,925 1,920 2.96% 14.58 4,584.71
132 Laguna Niguel Orange 65,328 62,979 2,349 3.73% 14.83 4,405.12
133 San Clemente Orange 65,309 63,522 1,787 2.81% 18.71 3,490.59
134 Lodi San Joaquin 64,641 62,134 2,507 4.03% 13.61 4,749.52
135 Santa Cruz Santa Cruz 64,465 59,946 4,519 7.54% 12.74 5,060.05
136 Madera Madera 64,444 61,416 3,028 4.93% 15.79 4,081.32
137 Lake Elsinore Riverside 64,205 51,821 12,384 23.90% 36.21 1,773.13
Carmichael CDP Sacramento 63,712 61,762 1,950 3.16% 13.53 4,708.94
138 Pico Rivera Los Angeles 63,635 62,942 693 1.10% 8.3 7,666.87
139 Montebello Los Angeles 63,335 62,500 835 1.34% 8.33 7,603.24
Florence-Graham CDP Los Angeles 63,177 63,387 -210 -0.33% 3.58 17,647.21
140 Encinitas San Diego 63,131 59,518 3,613 6.07% 18.81 3,356.25
141 Rocklin Placer 62,787 56,974 5,813 10.20% 19.54 3,213.25
142 Tulare Tulare 62,779 59,278 3,501 5.91% 20.93 2,999.47
Castro Valley CDP Alameda 62,044 61,388 656 1.07% 16.63 3,730.85
143 La Habra Orange 61,664 60,239 1,425 2.37% 7.37 8,366.89
144 Eastvale Riverside 61,151 53,668 7,483 13.94% 12.66 4,830.25
145 National City San Diego 61,147 58,582 2,565 4.38% 7.28 8,399.31
146 Monterey Park Los Angeles 61,075 60,269 806 1.34% 7.67 7,962.84
147 Cupertino Santa Clara 60,643 58,302 2,341 4.02% 11.26 5,385.70
148 Brentwood Contra Costa 60,532 51,481 9,051 17.58% 14.79 4,092.77
149 Petaluma Sonoma 60,530 57,941 2,589 4.47% 14.38 4,209.32
150 Gardena Los Angeles 60,048 58,829 1,219 2.07% 5.83 10,299.83
151 La Mesa San Diego 59,948 57,065 2,883 5.05% 9.08 6,602.20
152 Dublin Alameda 59,583 46,036 13,547 29.43% 14.91 3,996.18
South Whittier CDP Los Angeles 59,358 57,156 2,202 3.85% 5.34 11,115.73
153 Woodland Yolo 59,068 55,468 3,600 6.49% 15.3 3,860.65
154 Porterville Tulare 58,978 54,165 4,813 8.89% 17.61 3,349.12
155 San Rafael Marin 58,954 57,713 1,241 2.15% 16.47 3,579.48
156 Huntington Park Los Angeles 58,879 58,114 765 1.32% 3.01 19,561.13
157 Arcadia Los Angeles 58,523 56,364 2,159 3.83% 10.93 5,354.35
158 Santee San Diego 57,834 53,413 4,421 8.28% 16.24 3,561.21
159 Diamond Bar Los Angeles 56,793 55,544 1,249 2.25% 14.88 3,816.73
160 Fountain Valley Orange 56,529 55,313 1,216 2.20% 9.02 6,267.07
161 Novato Marin 56,004 51,904 4,100 7.90% 27.44 2,040.96
162 Hanford Kings 55,547 53,967 1,580 2.93% 16.59 3,348.22
Hacienda Heights CDP Los Angeles 55,158 54,038 1,120 2.07% 11.18 4,933.63
163 Gilroy Santa Clara 55,069 48,821 6,248 12.80% 16.15 3,409.85
164 Highland San Bernardino 54,939 53,104 1,835 3.46% 18.76 2,928.52
165 Paramount Los Angeles 54,909 54,098 811 1.50% 4.73 11,608.67
166 Colton San Bernardino 54,712 52,154 2,558 4.90% 15.32 3,571.28
167 Rosemead Los Angeles 54,500 53,764 736 1.37% 5.16 10,562.02
168 Cathedral City Riverside 54,056 51,200 2,856 5.58% 21.5 2,514.23
169 Watsonville Santa Cruz 53,796 51,199 2,597 5.07% 6.69 8,041.26
170 Yucaipa San Bernardino 53,309 51,367 1,942 3.78% 27.89 1,911.40
171 West Sacramento Yolo 52,981 48,744 4,237 8.69% 21.43 2,472.28
172 Delano Kern 52,707 53,041 -334 -0.63% 14.3 3,685.80
173 Palm Desert Riverside 52,231 48,445 3,786 7.82% 26.81 1,948.19
174 Placentia Orange 52,228 50,533 1,695 3.35% 6.57 7,949.47
175 Glendora Los Angeles 51,851 50,073 1,778 3.55% 19.39 2,674.11
176 Aliso Viejo Orange 51,424 47,823 3,601 7.53% 7.47 6,884.07
Florin CDP Sacramento 50,899 47,513 3,386 7.13% 8.7 5,850.46
177 Cerritos Los Angeles 50,555 49,041 1,514 3.09% 8.73 5,790.95
Rowland Heights CDP Los Angeles 50,440 48,993 1,447 2.95% 13.08 3,856.27
178 Poway San Diego 50,077 47,811 2,266 4.74% 39.08 1,281.40
179 Azusa Los Angeles 49,628 46,361 3,267 7.05% 9.66 5,137.47
180 La Mirada Los Angeles 49,216 48,527 689 1.42% 7.84 6,277.55
181 Rancho Santa Margarita Orange 48,969 47,853 1,116 2.33% 12.96 3,778.47
182 Cypress Orange 48,906 47,802 1,104 2.31% 6.58 7,432.52
183 Covina Los Angeles 48,549 47,796 753 1.58% 7.03 6,905.97
184 Ceres Stanislaus 48,278 45,417 2,861 6.30% 8.01 6,027.22
Antelope CDP Sacramento 47,763 45,770 1,993 4.35% 6.84 6,982.89
185 Palm Springs Riverside 47,689 44,552 3,137 7.04% 94.12 506.68
186 San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo 47,536 45,119 2,417 5.36% 12.78 3,719.56
187 San Jacinto Riverside 47,413 44,199 3,214 7.27% 25.72 1,843.43
188 Lincoln Placer 47,030 42,819 4,211 9.83% 20.11 2,338.64
North Highlands CDP Sacramento 46,376 42,694 3,682 8.62% 8.83 5,252.10
189 Newark Alameda 45,810 42,573 3,237 7.60% 13.87 3,302.81
190 Beaumont Riverside 45,349 36,877 8,472 22.97% 30.91 1,467.13
191 Coachella Riverside 44,953 40,704 4,249 10.44% 28.95 1,552.78
192 Danville Contra Costa 44,631 42,039 2,592 6.17% 18.03 2,475.37
Altadena CDP Los Angeles 44,621 42,777 1,844 4.31% 8.71 5,122.96
193 El Centro Imperial 44,201 42,598 1,603 3.76% 11.08 3,989.26
194 Morgan Hill Santa Clara 44,155 37,882 6,273 16.56% 12.88 3,428.18
195 Lompoc Santa Barbara 43,712 42,434 1,278 3.01% 11.6 3,768.28
El Dorado Hills CDP El Dorado 43,264 42,108 1,156 2.75% 48.45 892.96
196 San Bruno San Mateo 42,957 41,114 1,843 4.48% 5.48 7,838.87
197 Bell Gardens Los Angeles 42,806 42,072 734 1.74% 2.46 17,400.81
198 Rohnert Park Sonoma 42,622 40,971 1,651 4.03% 7 6,088.86
199 Brea Orange 42,471 39,282 3,189 8.12% 12.08 3,515.81
200 Rancho Palos Verdes Los Angeles 42,435 41,643 792 1.90% 13.46 3,152.67
201 La Quinta Riverside 40,956 37,467 3,489 9.31% 35.12 1,166.17
202 Campbell  Santa Clara 40,939 39,349 1,590 4.04% 5.8 7,058.45
203 Oakley Contra Costa 40,622 35,432 5,190 14.65% 15.85 2,562.90
204 San Gabriel Los Angeles 40,404 39,718 686 1.73% 4.14 9,759.42
205 La Puente Los Angeles 40,377 39,816 561 1.41% 3.48 11,602.59
206 Calexico Imperial 40,232 38,572 1,660 4.30% 8.39 4,795.23
207 Culver City Los Angeles 39,364 38,883 481 1.24% 5.11 7,703.33
208 Pacifica San Mateo 39,062 37,234 1,828 4.91% 12.66 3,085.47
209 Montclair San Bernardino 38,944 36,664 2,280 6.22% 5.52 7,055.07
210 Stanton Orange 38,644 38,186 458 1.20% 3.15 12,267.94
211 Martinez Contra Costa 38,259 35,824 2,435 6.80% 12.13 3,154.08
212 Hollister San Benito 37,833 34,928 2,905 8.32% 7.29 5,189.71
213 Los Banos Merced 37,643 35,972 1,671 4.65% 9.99 3,768.07
214 Monrovia Los Angeles 37,126 36,590 536 1.46% 13.6 2,729.85
La Presa CDP San Diego 36,875 34,169 2,706 7.92% 5.5 6,704.55
215 West Hollywood Los Angeles 36,698 34,399 2,299 6.68% 1.89 19,416.93
216 Moorpark Ventura 36,481 34,421 2,060 5.98% 12.58 2,899.92
217 Temple City Los Angeles 36,365 35,558 807 2.27% 4.01 9,068.58
218 San Juan Capistrano Orange 36,276 34,593 1,683 4.87% 14.12 2,569.12
219 Claremont Los Angeles 36,059 34,926 1,133 3.24% 13.35 2,701.05
220 Wildomar Riverside 36,042 32,176 3,866 12.02% 23.69 1,521.40
221 Bell Los Angeles 35,864 35,477 387 1.09% 2.5 14,345.60
222 Manhattan Beach Los Angeles 35,741 35,135 606 1.72% 3.94 9,071.32
223 Pleasant Hill Contra Costa 34,853 33,152 1,701 5.13% 7.07 4,929.70
Orangevale CDP Sacramento 34,836 33,960 876 2.58% 11.52 3,023.96
224 Beverly Hills Los Angeles 34,687 34,109 578 1.69% 5.71 6,074.78
225 San Dimas Los Angeles 34,338 33,371 967 2.90% 15.04 2,283.11
226 Seaside Monterey 34,312 33,025 1,287 3.90% 9.24 3,713.42
227 Foster City San Mateo 34,175 30,567 3,608 11.80% 3.76 9,089.10
228 Dana Point Orange 34,012 33,351 661 1.98% 6.5 5,232.62
229 Menlo Park San Mateo 33,888 32,026 1,862 5.81% 9.79 3,461.49
Oildale CDP Kern 33,842 32,684 1,158 3.54% 6.53 5,182.54
230 Adelanto San Bernardino 33,391 31,765 1,626 5.12% 56.01 596.16
231 Lawndale Los Angeles 33,145 32,769 376 1.15% 1.97 16,824.87
Foothill Farms CDP Sacramento 33,090 33,121 -31 -0.09% 4.2 7,878.57
Westmont CDP Los Angeles 32,566 31,853 713 2.24% 1.85 17,603.24
232 La Verne Los Angeles 32,389 31,063 1,326 4.27% 8.43 3,842.11
233 El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles) San Luis Obispo 31,907 29,793 2,114 7.10% 19.12 1,668.78
Fallbrook CDP San Diego 31,573 30,534 1,039 3.40% 17.53 1,801.08
Fair Oaks CDP Sacramento 31,537 30,912 625 2.02% 10.79 2,922.80
234 Laguna Hills Orange 31,509 30,344 1,165 3.84% 6.67 4,723.99
235 Banning Riverside 31,026 29,603 1,423 4.81% 23.1 1,343.12
236 Goleta Santa Barbara 30,850 29,888 962 3.22% 7.9 3,905.06
237 Saratoga Santa Clara 30,767 29,926 841 2.81% 12.38 2,485.22
238 Los Altos Santa Clara 30,561 28,976 1,585 5.47% 6.49 4,708.94
239 Los Gatos Santa Clara 30,545 29,413 1,132 3.85% 11.08 2,756.77
240 San Pablo Contra Costa 30,536 29,139 1,397 4.79% 2.63 11,610.65
Spring Valley CDP San Diego 30,392 28,205 2,187 7.75% 7.17 4,238.77
241 Santa Paula Ventura 30,335 29,321 1,014 3.46% 4.59 6,608.93
242 Atascadero San Luis Obispo 30,330 28,310 2,020 7.14% 25.64 1,182.92
243 Burlingame San Mateo 30,301 28,806 1,495 5.19% 4.41 6,870.98
244 Walnut Los Angeles 30,047 29,172 875 3.00% 8.99 3,342.27
Orcutt CDP Santa Barbara 29,908 28,905 1,003 3.47% 11.12 2,689.57
245 San Carlos San Mateo 29,797 28,406 1,391 4.90% 5.54 5,378.52
246 East Palo Alto San Mateo 29,684 28,155 1,529 5.43% 2.51 11,826.29
247 Suisun City Solano 29,505 28,111 1,394 4.96% 4.11 7,178.83
248 Atwater Merced 29,270 28,168 1,102 3.91% 6.09 4,806.24
249 Ridgecrest Kern 28,701 27,616 1,085 3.93% 20.77 1,381.85
250 Desert Hot Springs Riverside 28,492 25,938 2,554 9.85% 23.62 1,206.27
251 Monterey Monterey 28,454 27,810 644 2.32% 8.47 3,359.39
252 Benicia Solano 28,174 26,997 1,177 4.36% 12.93 2,178.96
French Valley CDP Riverside 27,752 23,067 4,685 20.31% 10.87 2,553.08
253 Maywood Los Angeles 27,633 27,395 238 0.87% 1.18 23,417.80
254 Windsor Sonoma 27,555 26,801 754 2.81% 7.27 3,790.23
255 Imperial Beach San Diego 27,418 26,324 1,094 4.16% 4.16 6,590.87
256 Eureka Humboldt 27,226 27,191 35 0.13% 9.38 2,902.56
West Whittier-Los Nietos CDP Los Angeles 27,114 25,540 1,574 6.16% 2.52 10,759.52
257 Belmont San Mateo 27,081 25,835 1,246 4.82% 4.62 5,861.69
258 Lemon Grove San Diego 26,860 25,320 1,540 6.08% 3.88 6,922.68
Ladera Ranch CDP Orange 26,714 22,980 3,734 16.25% 4.9 5,451.84
259 Norco Riverside 26,714 27,063 -349 -1.29% 13.96 1,913.61
260 Paradise Butte 26,551 26,218 333 1.27% 18.31 1,450.08
North Tustin CDP Orange 26,454 24,917 1,537 6.17% 6.67 3,966.12
Vineyard CDP Sacramento 26,452 24,836 1,616 6.51% 17.21 1,537.01
261 Wasco Kern 26,395 25,545 850 3.33% 9.43 2,799.05
Isla Vista CDP  Santa Barbara 26,275 23,096 3,179 13.76% 1.85 14,202.70
262 Brawley Imperial 26,149 24,953 1,196 4.79% 7.68 3,404.82
263 Lafayette Contra Costa 26,103 23,893 2,210 9.25% 15.22 1,715.05
264 Twentynine Palms San Bernardino 26,049 25,048 1,001 4.00% 59.14 440.46
265 Coronado San Diego 25,952 18,912 7,040 37.23% 7.93 3,272.64
266 South Pasadena Los Angeles 25,913 25,619 294 1.15% 3.41 7,599.12
267 Lemoore Kings 25,785 24,531 1,254 5.11% 8.52 3,026.41
268 Galt Sacramento 25,633 23,647 1,986 8.40% 5.93 4,322.60
269 Soledad Monterey 25,622 25,738 -116 -0.45% 4.41 5,809.98
270 Reedley Fresno 25,582 24,194 1,388 5.74% 5.08 5,035.83
271 El Cerrito Contra Costa 25,400 23,549 1,851 7.86% 3.69 6,883.47
272 Hercules Contra Costa 25,360 24,060 1,300 5.40% 6.21 4,083.74
273 Sanger Fresno 25,007 24,270 737 3.04% 5.52 4,530.25
San Lorenzo CDP Alameda 24,891 23,452 1,439 6.14% 2.76 9,018.48
Bloomington CDP San Bernardino 24,864 23,851 1,013 4.25% 5.99 4,150.92
274 San Fernando Los Angeles 24,717 23,645 1,072 4.53% 2.37 10,429.11
Temescal Valley CDP Riverside 24,654 22,535 2,119 9.40% 19.3 1,277.41
275 Selma Fresno 24,597 23,219 1,378 5.93% 5.14 4,785.41
276 Seal Beach Orange 24,440 24,168 272 1.13% 11.29 2,164.75
277 Riverbank Stanislaus 24,389 22,678 1,711 7.54% 4.09 5,963.08
Ashland CDP Alameda 24,226 21,925 2,301 10.49% 1.84 13,166.30
278 Calabasas Los Angeles 24,176 23,058 1,118 4.85% 12.9 1,874.11
279 Loma Linda San Bernardino 24,129 23,261 868 3.73% 7.52 3,208.64
280 Cudahy Los Angeles 24,098 23,805 293 1.23% 1.18 20,422.03
West Puente Valley CDP Los Angeles 24,077 22,636 1,441 6.37% 1.76 13,680.11
Valinda CDP Los Angeles 24,026 22,822 1,204 5.28% 2.01 11,953.23
281 Dinuba Tulare 23,961 21,453 2,508 11.69% 6.47 3,703.40
282 Barstow San Bernardino 23,835 22,639 1,196 5.28% 41.38 576.00
Rosemont CDP Sacramento 23,515 22,681 834 3.68% 4.35 5,405.75
283 Laguna Beach Orange 23,190 22,723 467 2.06% 8.85 2,620.34
284 Millbrae San Mateo 22,661 21,532 1,129 5.24% 3.25 6,972.62
285 Corcoran Kings 22,626 24,813 -2,187 -8.81% 7.47 3,028.92
West Rancho Dominguez CDP Los Angeles 22,605 5,669 16,936 298.75% 1.652 13,683.41
286 Oakdale Stanislaus 22,564 20,675 1,889 9.14% 6.04 3,735.76
Bay Point CDP Contra Costa 22,473 21,349 1,124 5.26% 6.55 3,430.99
Granite Bay CDP Placer 22,387 20,402 1,985 9.73% 21.53 1,039.80
287 Port Hueneme Ventura 22,277 21,723 554 2.55% 4.45 5,006.07
288 Lathrop San Joaquin 22,073 18,023 4,050 22.47% 21.93 1,006.52
Rancho San Diego CDP San Diego 22,062 21,208 854 4.03% 8.7 2,535.86
Lennox CDP Los Angeles 21,850 22,753 -903 -3.97% 1.09 20,045.87
Ramona CDP San Diego 21,824 20,292 1,532 7.55% 38.41 568.19
289 Duarte Los Angeles 21,801 21,321 480 2.25% 6.69 3,258.74
290 Patterson Stanislaus 21,776 20,413 1,363 6.68% 5.95 3,659.83
291 South Lake Tahoe El Dorado 21,717 21,403 314 1.47% 10.16 2,137.50
292 Marina Monterey 21,688 19,718 1,970 9.99% 8.88 2,442.34
293 Yucca Valley San Bernardino 21,652 20,700 952 4.60% 40.02 541.03
West Carson CDP Los Angeles 21,437 21,699 -262 -1.21% 2.27 9,443.61
Lakeside CDP San Diego 21,413 20,648 765 3.70% 6.9 3,103.33
294 Arvin Kern 21,086 19,304 1,782 9.23% 4.82 4,374.69
South San Jose Hills CDP Los Angeles 21,015 20,551 464 2.26% 1.51 13,917.22
295 South El Monte Los Angeles 20,883 20,116 767 3.81% 2.84 7,353.17
296 Agoura Hills Los Angeles 20,745 20,330 415 2.04% 7.79 2,663.03
Winter Gardens CDP San Diego 20,703 20,631 72 0.35% 4.43 4,673.36
297 Lomita Los Angeles 20,693 20,256 437 2.16% 1.91 10,834.03
Willowbrook CDP Los Angeles 20,685 35,983 -15,298 -42.51% 3.76 5,501.33
298 American Canyon Napa 20,452 19,454 998 5.13% 4.84 4,225.62
299 La Cañada Flintridge Los Angeles 20,447 20,246 201 0.99% 8.63 2,369.29
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix CDP San Diego 20,222 18,762 1,460 7.78% 6.85 2,952.12
La Crescenta-Montrose CDP Los Angeles 19,940 19,653 287 1.46% 3.43 5,813.41
300 Dixon Solano 19,806 18,351 1,455 7.93% 7 2,829.43
301 Hermosa Beach Los Angeles 19,789 19,506 283 1.45% 1.43 13,838.46
302 Blythe Riverside 19,693 20,817 -1,124 -5.40% 26.19 751.93
303 Albany Alameda 19,688 18,539 1,149 6.20% 1.79 10,998.88
Rosamond CDP Kern 19,540 18,150 1,390 7.66% 52.12 374.90
304 Orinda Contra Costa 19,470 17,643 1,827 10.36% 12.68 1,535.49
Cameron Park CDP El Dorado 19,437 18,228 1,209 6.63% 11.11 1,749.50
Stevenson Ranch CDP Los Angeles 19,408 17,557 1,851 10.54% 6.36 3,051.57
Castaic CDP Los Angeles 19,369 19,015 354 1.86% 7.26 2,667.91
305 Pinole Contra Costa 19,293 18,390 903 4.91% 5.32 3,626.50
East Hemet CDP Riverside 19,180 17,418 1,762 10.12% 5.21 3,681.38
Mead Valley CDP Riverside 19,110 18,510 600 3.24% 19.17 996.87
306 Oroville Butte 19,033 15,546 3,487 22.43% 12.99 1,465.20
307 Shafter Kern 18,945 16,988 1,957 11.52% 27.94 678.06
Prunedale CDP Monterey 18,932 17,560 1,372 7.81% 46.05 411.12
Linda CDP Yuba 18,256 17,773 483 2.72% 8.55 2,135.20
308 Chowchilla Madera 18,236 18,720 -484 -2.59% 7.66 2,380.68
309 Rancho Mirage Riverside 18,194 17,218 976 5.67% 24.45 744.13
310 Arroyo Grande San Luis Obispo 18,097 17,252 845 4.90% 5.84 3,098.80
Live Oak CDP Santa Cruz 18,038 17,158 880 5.13% 3.24 5,567.28
311 Santa Fe Springs Los Angeles 18,027 16,223 1,804 11.12% 8.87 2,032.36
312 Arcata Humboldt 17,974 17,231 743 4.31% 9.1 1,975.16
313 Greenfield Monterey 17,428 16,330 1,098 6.72% 2.14 8,143.93
314 Moraga Contra Costa 17,416 16,016 1,400 8.74% 9.43 1,846.87
315 Imperial Imperial 17,203 14,758 2,445 16.57% 5.86 2,935.67
Vincent CDP Los Angeles 17,006 15,922 1,084 6.81% 1.47 11,568.71
316 El Segundo Los Angeles 16,893 16,654 239 1.44% 5.46 3,093.96
317 Artesia Los Angeles 16,874 16,522 352 2.13% 1.62 10,416.05
Bostonia CDP San Diego 16,787 15,379 1,408 9.16% 1.93 8,697.93
Nipomo CDP San Luis Obispo 16,727 16,714 13 0.08% 14.85 1,126.40
318 Coalinga Fresno 16,598 13,380 3,218 24.05% 6.12 2,712.09
319 Truckee Nevada 16,391 16,180 211 1.30% 32.32 507.15
Alamo CDP Contra Costa 16,301 14,570 1,731 11.88% 9.67 1,685.73
McKinleyville CDP Humboldt 16,291 15,177 1,114 7.34% 20.8 783.22
320 Laguna Woods Orange 16,272 16,192 80 0.49% 3.12 5,215.38
Valle Vista CDP Riverside 16,127 14,578 1,549 10.63% 6.87 2,347.45
Walnut Park CDP Los Angeles 16,054 15,966 88 0.55% 0.75 21,405.33
Woodcrest CDP Riverside 16,049 14,347 1,702 11.86% 11.41 1,406.57
East San Gabriel CDP Los Angeles 15,980 14,874 1,106 7.44% 1.56 10,243.59
Lamont CDP Kern 15,941 15,120 821 5.43% 4.59 3,472.98
Avocado Heights CDP Los Angeles 15,917 15,411 506 3.28% 2.71 5,873.43
321 Ukiah Mendocino 15,882 16,075 -193 -1.20% 4.67 3,400.86
El Sobrante CDP Riverside 15,788 12,723 3,065 24.09% 7.21 2,189.74
322 La Palma Orange 15,774 15,568 206 1.32% 1.81 8,714.92
323 Pacific Grove Monterey 15,624 15,041 583 3.88% 2.86 5,462.94
East Rancho Dominguez CDP Los Angeles 15,615 15,135 480 3.17% 0.82 19,042.68
324 Fillmore Ventura 15,610 15,002 608 4.05% 3.36 4,645.83
Rosedale CDP  Kern 15,509 14,058 1,451 10.32% 33.96 456.68
Cherryland CDP Alameda 15,470 14,728 742 5.04% 1.2 12,891.67
325 Ripon San Joaquin 15,463 14,297 1,166 8.16% 5.3 2,917.55
Los Osos CDP San Luis Obispo 15,388 14,276 1,112 7.79% 12.76 1,205.96
Parkway CDP Sacramento 15,369 14,670 699 4.76% 2.42 6,350.83
326 Parlier Fresno 15,179 14,494 685 4.73% 2.19 6,931.05
Oak Park CDP Ventura 15,087 13,811 1,276 9.24% 5.29 2,851.98
327 Clearlake Lake 15,053 15,250 -197 -1.29% 10.13 1,485.98
328 Susanville Lassen 14,843 17,947 -3,104 -17.30% 7.93 1,871.75
Alpine CDP San Diego 14,830 14,236 594 4.17% 26.78 553.77
North Fair Oaks CDP San Mateo 14,793 14,687 106 0.72% 1.2 12,327.50
Rio Linda CDP Sacramento 14,688 15,106 -418 -2.77% 9.9 1,483.64
Discovery Bay CDP Contra Costa 14,650 13,352 1,298 9.72% 6.22 2,355.31
329 Kerman Fresno 14,594 13,544 1,050 7.75% 3.23 4,518.27
Coto de Caza CDP Orange 14,554 14,866 -312 -2.10% 7.95 1,830.69
330 McFarland Kern 14,544 12,707 1,837 14.46% 2.67 5,447.19
North Auburn CDP Placer 14,496 13,022 1,474 11.32% 7.8 1,858.46
331 Hawaiian Gardens Los Angeles 14,473 14,254 219 1.54% 0.95 15,234.74
332 Mill Valley Marin 14,350 13,903 447 3.22% 4.76 3,014.71
Olivehurst CDP Yuba 14,293 13,656 637 4.66% 7.47 1,913.39
Stanford CDP Santa Clara 14,213 13,809 404 2.93% 2.73 5,206.23
333 Red Bluff Tehama 14,158 14,076 82 0.58% 7.56 1,872.75
334 Auburn Placer 13,963 13,330 633 4.75% 7.14 1,955.60
335 Livingston Merced 13,961 13,058 903 6.92% 3.72 3,752.96
336 King City Monterey 13,869 12,874 995 7.73% 3.84 3,611.72
Phelan CDP San Bernardino 13,719 14,304 -585 -4.09% 60.1 228.27
337 California City Kern 13,707 14,120 -413 -2.92% 203.52 67.35
338 Carpinteria Santa Barbara 13,684 13,040 644 4.94% 2.59 5,283.40
339 Grover Beach San Luis Obispo 13,641 13,156 485 3.69% 2.31 5,905.19
340 Palos Verdes Estates Los Angeles 13,586 13,438 148 1.10% 4.77 2,848.22
Big Bear City CDP San Bernardino 13,535 12,304 1,231 10.00% 31.95 423.63
Salida CDP Stanislaus 13,501 13,722 -221 -1.61% 5.32 2,537.78
341 Solana Beach San Diego 13,449 12,867 582 4.52% 3.52 3,820.74
El Sobrante CDP Contra Costa 13,388 12,669 719 5.68% 2.77 4,833.21
342 San Marino Los Angeles 13,365 13,147 218 1.66% 3.77 3,545.09
343 Lindsay Tulare 13,245 11,768 1,477 12.55% 2.61 5,074.71
Lemon Hill CDP Sacramento 13,128 13,729 -601 -4.38% 1.63 8,053.99
344 Commerce Los Angeles 12,973 12,823 150 1.17% 6.54 1,983.64
345 Grass Valley Nevada 12,934 12,860 74 0.58% 4.74 2,728.69
Bonita CDP San Diego 12,931 12,538 393 3.13% 5 2,586.20
Mountain House CDP San Joaquin 12,916 9,675 3,241 33.50% 3.192 4,046.37
346 Malibu Los Angeles 12,879 12,645 234 1.85% 19.78 651.11
347 Half Moon Bay San Mateo 12,697 11,324 1,373 12.12% 6.42 1,977.73
348 San Anselmo Marin 12,599 12,336 263 2.13% 2.68 4,701.12
349 Grand Terrace San Bernardino 12,509 12,040 469 3.90% 3.5 3,574.00
350 Tehachapi Kern 12,495 14,414 -1,919 -13.31% 9.87 1,265.96
351 Avenal Kings 12,466 15,505 -3,039 -19.60% 19.42 641.92
Diamond Springs CDP El Dorado 12,459 11,037 1,422 12.88% 16.64 748.74
Muscoy CDP San Bernardino 12,417 10,644 1,773 16.66% 3.14 3,954.46
352 Larkspur Marin 12,382 11,926 456 3.82% 3.03 4,086.47
353 Marysville Yuba 12,249 12,072 177 1.47% 3.46 3,540.17
Lake Los Angeles CDP Los Angeles 12,136 12,328 -192 -1.56% 9.74 1,246.00
354 Fortuna Humboldt 12,122 11,926 196 1.64% 4.85 2,499.38
Lakeland Village CDP Riverside 11,995 11,541 454 3.93% 8.68 1,381.91
355 Clayton Contra Costa 11,992 10,897 1,095 10.05% 3.84 3,122.92
356 Scotts Valley Santa Cruz 11,928 11,580 348 3.01% 4.59 2,598.69
357 Healdsburg Sonoma 11,827 11,254 573 5.09% 4.46 2,651.79
358 Kingsburg Fresno 11,807 11,382 425 3.73% 2.83 4,172.08
359 Emeryville Alameda 11,671 10,080 1,591 15.78% 1.25 9,336.80
Winton CDP Merced 11,669 10,613 1,056 9.95% 3.04 3,838.49
360 Signal Hill Los Angeles 11,649 11,016 633 5.75% 2.19 5,319.18
View Park-Windsor Hills CDP Los Angeles 11,648 11,075 573 5.17% 1.84 6,330.43
361 Los Alamitos Orange 11,636 11,449 187 1.63% 4.05 2,873.09
Citrus CDP Los Angeles 11,460 10,866 594 5.47% 0.89 12,876.40
362 Hillsborough San Mateo 11,431 10,825 606 5.60% 6.19 1,846.69
Home Gardens CDP Riverside 11,420 11,570 -150 -1.30% 1.56 7,320.51
363 Mendota Fresno 11,418 11,014 404 3.67% 3.28 3,481.10
Camp Pendleton South CDP San Diego 11,394 10,616 778 7.33% 3.91 2,914.07
364 Piedmont Alameda 11,353 10,667 686 6.43% 1.68 6,757.74
Lake Arrowhead CDP San Bernardino 11,333 12,424 -1,091 -8.78% 17.73 639.20
Sun Village CDP Los Angeles 11,322 11,565 -243 -2.10% 10.69 1,059.12
Magalia CDP Butte 11,306 11,310 -4 -0.04% 14.01 807.00
Garden Acres CDP San Joaquin 11,278 10,648 630 5.92% 2.59 4,354.44
365 Canyon Lake Riverside 11,137 10,561 576 5.45% 3.93 2,833.84
366 Newman Stanislaus 11,123 10,224 899 8.79% 2.1 5,296.67
La Riviera CDP Sacramento 11,062 10,802 260 2.41% 1.85 5,979.46
367 Sierra Madre Los Angeles 11,057 10,917 140 1.28% 2.95 3,748.14
368 Sonoma Sonoma 11,054 10,648 406 3.81% 2.74 4,034.31
Alum Rock CDP Santa Clara 11,051 15,536 -4,485 -28.87% 1.2 9,209.17
Soquel CDP Santa Cruz 10,827 9,644 1,183 12.27% 4.598 2,354.72
369 Farmersville Tulare 10,735 10,588 147 1.39% 2.26 4,750.00
Del Aire CDP Los Angeles 10,692 10,001 691 6.91% 1.01 10,586.14
370 Placerville El Dorado 10,681 10,389 292 2.81% 5.81 1,838.38
371 Morro Bay San Luis Obispo 10,648 10,234 414 4.05% 5.3 2,009.06
Quartz Hill CDP Los Angeles 10,619 10,912 -293 -2.69% 3.76 2,824.20
Fairview CDP Alameda 10,568 10,003 565 5.65% 2.76 3,828.99
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley CDP Marin 10,542 10,735 -193 -1.80% 4.64 2,271.98
372 Exeter Tulare 10,506 10,334 172 1.66% 2.46 4,270.73
Rossmoor CDP Orange 10,461 10,244 217 2.12% 1.54 6,792.86
East Whittier CDP Las Angeles 10,440 9,757 683 7.00% 1.09 9,577.98
Valley Center CDP San Diego 10,261 9,277 984 10.61% 27.426 374.13
373 Anderson Shasta 10,232 9,932 300 3.02% 6.37 1,606.28
San Diego Country Estates CDP San Diego 10,215 10,109 106 1.05% 16.85 606.23
374 Capitola Santa Cruz 10,180 9,918 262 2.64% 1.59 6,402.52
375 Shasta Lake Shasta 10,162 10,164 -2 -0.02% 10.92 930.59
Delhi CDP Merced 10,026 10,755 -729 -6.78% 3.51 2,856.41

Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2016
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
Release Date: May 2017.

Irvine, CA Skyline.

Qualifying for a Home Loan in California

Conforming Mortgages

Several different loan types are available in the Golden State. These include 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, 30-year fixed, ARM loans, and refinancing loans. Also available are FHA, VA, and piggyback loans.

The most popular loan in California is the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. This loan has an interest rate that does not change (it is fixed) over the life of the mortgage. Thirty-year mortgages carry a higher interest rate than 15-year loans, as the lender is guaranteeing a fixed rate for twice as long. Switching from a 30-year mortgage to its 15-year cousin will increase monthly payments, but can cut the amount of interest owed by tens of thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the loan.

The relatively high real estate prices across the state makes the loans jumbo mortgages, as they exceed the conforming limit. Adjustable-rate mortgages are relatively rare in most states, but ARMs are far more common in California, especially among jumbo mortgages. As of 2024 the conforming loan limit across the United States is set to $766,550, with a ceiling of 150% that amount in areas where median home values are higher. Jumbo loans typically have a slightly higher rate of interest than conforming mortgages, though spreads vary based on credit market conditions. Here is a list of counties which have higher conforming loan limits.

County Metropolitan Area 1 Unit Limit 2 Unit Limit 3 Unit Limit 4 Unit Limit
Alameda San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Contra Costa San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Los Angeles Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Marin San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Monterey Salinas, Ca $920,000 $1,177,750 $1,423,650 $1,769,250
Napa Napa, Ca $1,017,750 $1,302,900 $1,574,900 $1,957,250
Orange Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
San Benito San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
San Diego San Diego-Carlsbad, Ca $1,006,250 $1,288,200 $1,557,150 $1,935,150
San Francisco San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Gran $929,200 $1,189,550 $1,437,900 $1,786,950
San Mateo San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Santa Barbara Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, Ca $838,350 $1,073,250 $1,297,300 $1,612,250
Santa Clara San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Santa Cruz Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Ca $1,149,825 $1,472,250 $1,779,525 $2,211,600
Sonoma Santa Rosa, Ca $877,450 $1,123,300 $1,357,800 $1,687,450
Ventura Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Ca $954,500 $1,221,950 $1,477,050 $1,835,600
All Others Rest of the State $766,550 $981,500 $1,186,350 $1,474,400

ARM loans are adjustable-rate mortgages. These products have a fixed introductory rate for a specified number of years and then typically change once per year in subsequent years. Although adjustable-rate mortgages usually have a lower initial rate than 30-year fixed loans, interest rates on ARM loans can rise later in the loan if the reference interest rate rises significantly. ARM loans are not particularly popular on a nationwide basis as most homeowners prefer the security of a locked-in rate. ARM loans are much more common in states with expensive real estate like California where a buyer is attracted to the lower upfront monthly payment & then figures either the real estate will appreciate or they will get a raise which helps them improve their financial position before rates rise. Balloon loans are similar to ARM loans in terms of charging a floating or variable rate, but they do not fully amortize. Instead they require repayment in full at a set date, or refinancing into another loan.

Most private banks give their best rates to borrowers with credit scores above 740, but loans with higher interest rates can be obtained with lower scores. Mortgage underwriters prefer debt-to-income ratios to be below 40%, but other factors are considered on the loan application.

The piggyback loan is another type of mortgage available to California residents. This is simply two mortgages in one. The piggyback loan can eliminate the need for private mortgage insurance by covering 80% of the home's value with the first loan, while the second loan helps to pay for part of the down payment. This mortgage is a common way to avoid the standard 20% down payment, which is required by most private banks issuing loans.

Due to high property prices across the states & high local living costs refinancing is widely used along with home equity lines of credit (HELOC).

San Bernardino Skyline with Mt. Baldy.

Government Programs

California is a community property state, which means all property purchased when married becomes the property of the couple. A non-borrowing spouse's credit report in a community property state must be submitted when applying for a VA or FHA loan, and both of these institutions require debts from both spouses when figuring debt-to-income ratios. A mortgage secured through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac does not need to consider both spouse's credit histories.

Mortgages can also be secured through the Federal Housing Administration. The FHA requires only a 3.5% down payment with a credit score of 580 or higher. Mortgage insurance premiums must be paid for most FHA loans, however, because the down payment is under 20%.

The Veterans Administration also offers home loans, and the VA can do it without requiring any down payment. The loans come from private banks, which the VA insures. You do have to be a qualified veteran to get a VA loan.

USDA loans can help people with low incomes in rural parts of the state qualify for a subsidized low-interest loan.

The piggyback loan is another type of mortgage available to California residents. This is simply two mortgages in one. The piggyback loan can eliminate the need for private mortgage insurance by covering 80% of the home's value with the first loan, while the second loan helps to pay for part of the down payment. This mortgage is a good way to avoid the standard 20% down payment, which is required by most private banks issuing loans to Golden State residents. The California Housing Finance Agency offers assistance with down payments for first-time buyers and low-income families.

Hollywood in Downtown Los Angeles.

Natural Disasters

Flood Insurance

Homeowner's insurance policies typically do not cover flooding. Most of the state of California is considered to have a very low to moderate flooding risk. Here are counties which have a relatively elevated risk.

  • low flooding risk: Amadot, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Sonoma, Sutter
  • moderate flooding risk: Butte, Colusa, Inyo, Kern, Lassen, Mendocino, Napa, Orange, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Santa Barbera, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Ventura, Yolo
  • high flooding risk: Glenn, Lake, Marin, Tehama
  • very high flooding risk: Merced, Modoc, Sierra, Trinity, Tulare
  • low hurricane storm surge risk: Mendocino, Ventura
  • moderate hurricane storm surge risk: Marin, Santa Barbera, Santa Cruz

Home buyers with mortgages in high-risk areas are required to buy flood insurance. Most flood insurance policies are sold by the United States federal government through The National Flood Insurance Program. Under-priced flood insurance in high-risk areas act as a subsidy to wealthy homeowners.

“The NFIP does not charge nearly enough to cover the expected costs of its liabilities. The assessments are not sufficient to build any buffer to cover an extraordinary year, such as what occurred with Hurricane Katrina in 2005 or Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Because homeowners don't incur the full cost of building in a flood zone we end up with more houses there than if homeowners incurred the full cost of the flood risk, which exacerbates the government's costs in the next disaster.”

 

Homeowners who live in lower risk areas & are not required to purchase flood insurance heavily cross-subsidize homeowners who are in areas where floods are more common.

Earthquakes

California has a very high earthquake risk from the San Andreas Fault, which forms the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate & the Pacific Plate.

There is a 76% chance of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hitting the Bay Area in the next 30 years. While construction quality has improved greatly in the past century, large portions of San Francisco are built on landfill and hundreds of buildings scheduled for retrofits have not begun much needed upgrades.

Standard rental and homeowner insurance policies typically do not cover earthquake damage, though they usually cover losses caused by fires which resulted from an earthquake. If you live near a fault line it is important to carry a policy endorsed by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA). 

On October 17, 1989 a 6.9 magnitude earthqake struck near Loma Prieta Peak. It interrupted the World Series game which was about to begin in Candlestick Park, collapsed a portion of the upper deck of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, killed 67 people & caused over $6 billion in damages.

On April 18, 1906 a massive earthquake - estimated at 8.3 on the the richter scale - struck city of San Francisco. Initial damages from the quake & subsequent fires killed an estimated 3,000 people and left half of the residents of San Francisco homeless.

 

Wildfires

The risk of wildfires is considered moderate to very high across much of the state. Many of the worst wildfires in the country happen across the state of California. Fire damages from wildfires & other types of fires are typically covered in most homeowner's insurance policies. If you own expensive items you may want to keep an up-to-date household inventory list which lists specific valuables, such as fine art & jewelry.

Laws Particular to the Golden State

Stockton Civic Center.

Taxes

While state income taxes are quite high in California, real estate taxes are far more reasonable. Across the state the average assessment was 0.77% in 2016.

Proposition 13 is an amendment to the California constitution that limits the state's property tax at 1% of a home's value. The rate that the tax can increase is subject to an inflation factor limited to a maximum increase of 2% per year. Before this measure was enacted, real estate tax bills could, and oftentimes did, increase substantially in just a few years. With Prop 13, home owners can more easily predict what their property tax will be in the future.

Foreclosures

In California, mortgages can be either recourse or non-recourse loan. A recourse loan is one in which the lender can pursue the amount owed on the debt even after taking collateral. A non-recourse mortgage prohibits the lender from pursuing anything besides the collateral, which in a mortgage is usually the home itself.

While California's laws on this issue tend to be somewhat complex, generally speaking a first mortgage for a residence is typically a non-recourse loan. Second mortgages could be recourse loans under some circumstances, such as when the second mortgage is taken out after the initial purchase of the house and is on a 2nd deed.

Foreclosures in California typically are handled outside of the court system, meaning that they are non-judicial foreclosures. The trustee, at the request of the lender, sells the home to pay off the mortgage's balance if the borrower defaults. Under judicial foreclosures, a lawsuit is filed to obtain a court order to sell the property, usually in an auction. This type of foreclosure is uncommon in California, largely because non-judicial foreclosures are quicker and cheaper.

Learn More

Las Palmas De Gran Canaria, Grand Canary, Santa Ana, CA.

Although California's property market isn't the easiest in the Union, the state does have the advantage of being large with a wide selection of areas, some of which are affordable. With a very owner-friendly property tax law and a variety of mortgage options, it may be possible, although it probably won't be easy, to find a house you can afford.

Many cities and counties in California have Public Housing Agencies (PHA's) that help low-income families find affordable housing, oftentimes using federal government programs through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Most PHA's have websites and weekday office hours.

To learn more about California's real estate market and the specific resources available to home buyers, check out the following web sites:

Ashburn Homeowners May Want to Refinance While Rates Are Low

The Federal Reserve has started to taper their bond buying program. Lock in today's low rates and save on your loan.

Are you paying too much for your mortgage?

Find Out What You Qualify For

Check your refinance options with a trusted Ashburn lender.

Answer a few questions below and connect with a lender who can help you refinance and save today!

Damage from the 1906 San Fransicso Earthquake.
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