California is among the most expensive housing markets in the country. Many buyers here pair state assistance with careful loan selection, and some purchases cross into jumbo territory. With a large, diverse market, prices vary widely between metro areas and smaller towns, so compare city-level options below. A household earning around $214,000 a year could comfortably afford a typical California home under the 31% housing guideline.
What does a home cost in California?
| Item | California estimate |
|---|---|
| Typical home value | $695,400 |
| 3% down (conventional) | $20,862 |
| 3.5% down (FHA) | $24,339 |
| 20% down | $139,080 |
| Est. monthly payment (FHA, 3.5% down) | $5,525 |
| Household income to afford (31%) | $214,000 |
Rate assumption: 7.18% (Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year fixed average, week of November 5, 2026). Change it in the payment calculator.
What first-time home buyer programs does California offer?
California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) is California's housing finance agency. Its programs are offered through approved lenders and usually require homebuyer education plus income and purchase-price limits.
- MyHome Assistance: A deferred-payment junior loan that can cover part of the down payment or closing costs for first-time buyers.
- Dream For All Shared Appreciation: When funded, provides a large down payment loan repaid with a share of future appreciation; rounds open periodically.
- CalPLUS: A first mortgage with a slightly higher rate paired with closing cost assistance.
Check current terms at California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). Many California cities and counties also run their own down payment assistance.
What are the California loan limits for 2026?
California has 58 counties; 17 are high-cost areas. Here are the official 2026 one-unit limits for its most populous counties (FHFA and HUD):
| County | Conforming | FHA |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| San Diego County | $1,104,000 | $1,104,000 |
| Orange County | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Riverside County | $832,750 | $690,000 |
| San Bernardino County | $832,750 | $690,000 |
| Santa Clara County | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Alameda County | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Sacramento County | $832,750 | $764,750 |
| Contra Costa County | $1,249,125 | $1,249,125 |
| Fresno County | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Kern County | $832,750 | $541,287 |
| Ventura County | $1,035,000 | $1,035,000 |
See all California county loan limits → VA loans have no limit for borrowers with full entitlement.
Which California down payment assistance programs are verified?
- CalHFA MyHome Assistance Program — Up to the lesser of 3.5% of the purchase price or appraised value (FHA) (deferred-payment loan)
How much house can I afford in California?
Use California's own property tax rate and insurance average: $60k, $80k, $100k, $150k salaries, or see FHA requirements in California.
How do property taxes affect buying in California?
Homeowners in California pay a median of $4,926 a year in property taxes — an effective rate of about 0.71% of the median home value, close to the national average (Census ACS). Actual rates vary by county and municipality.
Which loan types are popular in California?
- Conventional Loan — Not government-backed; as little as 3% down for first-time buyers, PMI removable at 20% equity.
- FHA Loan — Government-insured; 3.5% down with a 580 credit score and flexible debt-to-income rules.
- VA Loan — For eligible veterans, service members and surviving spouses: 0% down and no monthly mortgage insurance.
- USDA Loan — 0% down for moderate-income buyers in eligible rural and suburban areas.
- Jumbo Loan — For loan amounts above the conforming limit; usually 10–20% down and 700+ credit.
- First-Time Home Buyer Loans — Low-down-payment loans plus state assistance programs designed for first-time buyers.
Buying a home in California cities
Alameda County
Oakland — $924,700Fremont — $1,289,400Hayward — $820,700Berkeley — $1,351,100San Leandro — $813,600Livermore — $1,038,600Pleasanton — $1,432,300Alameda — $1,203,900Dublin — $1,224,100Union City — $1,058,200Castro Valley — $1,058,200Newark — $1,094,200San Lorenzo — $833,800Ashland — $695,300Albany — $1,188,600Cherryland — $654,200Emeryville — $598,300Piedmont — $2,000,001Fairview — $915,100
Contra Costa County
Concord — $755,900Antioch — $607,400Richmond — $650,100San Ramon — $1,359,100Pittsburg — $583,100Walnut Creek — $1,031,100Brentwood — $791,600Oakley — $632,800Danville — $1,583,300Martinez — $824,700Pleasant Hill — $1,040,600San Pablo — $516,000Hercules — $741,200El Cerrito — $1,107,500Lafayette — $2,000,001Bay Point — $479,100Orinda — $1,804,400Pinole — $697,100Moraga — $1,597,600El Sobrante — $695,900Discovery Bay — $789,400Alamo — $2,000,001Clayton — $1,017,300Blackhawk — $1,948,900
Kern County
Bakersfield — $347,300Delano — $270,300Oildale — $225,000East Niles — $228,100Ridgecrest — $235,800Wasco — $251,900Rosamond — $330,100Shafter — $306,800Arvin — $247,800Rosedale — $594,000California City — $239,600McFarland — $245,500Lamont — $210,700Tehachapi — $344,700Potomac Park — $201,200Golden Hills — $376,300East Bakersfield — $202,400Hillcrest — $250,300
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles — $879,500Long Beach — $762,200Santa Clarita — $721,000Glendale — $1,043,900Lancaster — $409,100Palmdale — $435,300Pomona — $569,600Torrance — $1,036,600Pasadena — $1,045,000East Los Angeles — $613,600Downey — $728,500West Covina — $712,300El Monte — $626,000Inglewood — $744,300Burbank — $1,041,100Norwalk — $616,600Compton — $546,700Carson — $645,600South Gate — $608,500Santa Monica — $1,810,200Hawthorne — $813,700Whittier — $751,700Alhambra — $812,700Lakewood — $774,100Bellflower — $661,100Baldwin Park — $588,100Redondo Beach — $1,225,400Lynwood — $569,400Florence-Graham — $499,100Montebello — $660,700Pico Rivera — $621,400Gardena — $667,600Monterey Park — $818,300Arcadia — $1,336,500South Whittier — $641,700Hacienda Heights — $778,700Diamond Bar — $867,000Huntington Park — $557,600Paramount — $500,400Glendora — $820,800Rosemead — $729,600Covina — $666,000Azusa — $607,400Cerritos — $908,600La Mirada — $763,200Rowland Heights — $812,900Altadena — $1,073,500Rancho Palos Verdes — $1,541,400Culver City — $1,126,900San Gabriel — $899,000Bell Gardens — $527,900Monrovia — $891,700La Puente — $593,200Claremont — $870,800Temple City — $930,200West Hollywood — $969,900Manhattan Beach — $2,000,001Westmont — $617,300San Dimas — $756,200Bell — $561,400Beverly Hills — $2,000,001Lawndale — $726,000La Verne — $793,900Walnut — $972,500South Pasadena — $1,545,100West Whittier-Los Nietos — $607,100Maywood — $595,000San Fernando — $630,700East San Gabriel — $955,000Calabasas — $1,453,900West Rancho Dominguez — $589,100Cudahy — $505,300West Puente Valley — $591,800Duarte — $710,700West Carson — $647,100Willowbrook — $511,100Valinda — $613,200Stevenson Ranch — $1,033,300Lomita — $792,100Lennox — $677,600La Cañada Flintridge — $2,000,001La Crescenta-Montrose — $1,151,100Agoura Hills — $1,072,200South El Monte — $578,100Santa Fe Springs — $624,700Hermosa Beach — $2,000,001Castaic — $710,400South San Jose Hills — $540,400El Segundo — $1,521,600Artesia — $763,700Walnut Park — $570,500Vincent — $609,900East Rancho Dominguez — $548,400Hawaiian Gardens — $509,600Lake Los Angeles — $284,800Palos Verdes Estates — $2,000,001Avocado Heights — $668,700San Marino — $2,000,001Commerce — $583,200View Park-Windsor Hills — $1,123,300Signal Hill — $725,500Del Aire — $878,800Sierra Madre — $1,172,200Sun Village — $348,100Quartz Hill — $455,500Citrus — $614,200Malibu — $2,000,001East Whittier — $750,700
Orange County
Anaheim — $771,700Santa Ana — $657,800Irvine — $1,115,400Huntington Beach — $1,047,300Garden Grove — $765,500Fullerton — $859,600Orange — $900,700Costa Mesa — $1,054,700Mission Viejo — $946,300Westminster — $820,000Lake Forest — $876,300Newport Beach — $2,000,001Buena Park — $771,900Tustin — $890,600Yorba Linda — $1,091,700Laguna Niguel — $1,123,000San Clemente — $1,220,500La Habra — $716,700Fountain Valley — $1,018,600Placentia — $871,000Aliso Viejo — $863,800Cypress — $870,100Brea — $874,300Rancho Santa Margarita — $907,900Stanton — $541,000San Juan Capistrano — $929,700Dana Point — $1,200,900Laguna Hills — $944,000North Tustin — $1,212,400Seal Beach — $492,200Ladera Ranch — $1,046,600Laguna Beach — $2,000,001Laguna Woods — $364,900La Palma — $916,600Coto de Caza — $1,419,400Rossmoor — $1,234,700Los Alamitos — $1,003,900Rancho Mission Viejo — $1,039,300
Riverside County
Riverside — $542,100Moreno Valley — $461,400Corona — $656,500Murrieta — $606,900Temecula — $640,400Menifee — $487,200Jurupa Valley — $538,700Indio — $424,700Hemet — $314,200Perris — $431,900Lake Elsinore — $505,700Eastvale — $752,000Beaumont — $464,000San Jacinto — $391,600Cathedral City — $420,700Palm Desert — $491,600Palm Springs — $567,300Coachella — $341,300French Valley — $637,800La Quinta — $612,800Wildomar — $511,900Desert Hot Springs — $309,300Banning — $322,900Temescal Valley — $648,200Norco — $731,900East Hemet — $370,300Mead Valley — $417,700Valle Vista — $315,400Blythe — $203,800Rancho Mirage — $747,800Woodcrest — $679,400El Sobrante — $749,300Lakeland Village — $429,000Home Gardens — $498,800Canyon Lake — $647,300Calimesa — $423,300
Sacramento County
Sacramento — $484,600Elk Grove — $603,400Arden-Arcade — $504,400Citrus Heights — $432,100Folsom — $702,200Rancho Cordova — $451,400Carmichael — $541,500Florin — $359,500Antelope — $468,200North Highlands — $344,900Vineyard — $552,400Foothill Farms — $368,500Orangevale — $508,600Fair Oaks — $645,600Galt — $465,700Rosemont — $436,400Rio Linda — $438,800Parkway — $355,400Lemon Hill — $328,000La Riviera — $433,400
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino — $384,900Fontana — $558,500Ontario — $568,000Rancho Cucamonga — $694,400Victorville — $342,500Rialto — $454,400Hesperia — $366,800Chino — $641,500Upland — $688,800Chino Hills — $830,000Apple Valley — $377,300Redlands — $583,000Highland — $455,200Yucaipa — $466,000Colton — $411,100Adelanto — $318,300Montclair — $549,600Twentynine Palms — $238,400Barstow — $222,600Loma Linda — $557,800Bloomington — $443,300Yucca Valley — $321,300Phelan — $357,200Grand Terrace — $465,800Big Bear City — $427,700Muscoy — $379,200Lake Arrowhead — $545,100Crestline — $363,500Spring Valley Lake — $439,500
San Diego County
San Diego — $848,500Chula Vista — $697,400Oceanside — $702,000Escondido — $663,500Carlsbad — $1,156,900El Cajon — $632,800Vista — $674,400San Marcos — $792,400Encinitas — $1,466,000La Mesa — $738,800Santee — $653,400National City — $580,900Poway — $971,500La Presa — $595,400Fallbrook — $713,000Spring Valley — $645,300Lemon Grove — $640,600Imperial Beach — $811,000Ramona — $704,500Rancho San Diego — $854,200Winter Gardens — $558,800Lakeside — $585,500Casa de Oro-Mount Helix — $906,500Coronado — $1,998,900Bostonia — $435,900Alpine — $810,000Bonita — $902,200Solana Beach — $1,934,700Valley Center — $809,300San Diego Country Estates — $715,000
San Mateo County
San Mateo — $1,563,200Daly City — $1,092,700Redwood City — $1,838,800South San Francisco — $1,160,100San Bruno — $1,199,400Pacifica — $1,211,700Foster City — $1,774,500Menlo Park — $2,000,001Burlingame — $2,000,001San Carlos — $2,000,001East Palo Alto — $1,124,000Belmont — $2,000,001Millbrae — $1,929,700North Fair Oaks — $1,209,600Half Moon Bay — $1,467,000Hillsborough — $2,000,001
Santa Clara County
San Jose — $1,187,800Sunnyvale — $1,816,600Santa Clara — $1,527,900Mountain View — $1,927,400Milpitas — $1,180,000Palo Alto — $2,000,001Cupertino — $2,000,001Gilroy — $975,800Morgan Hill — $1,127,600Campbell — $1,550,000Los Gatos — $2,000,001Los Altos — $2,000,001Saratoga — $2,000,001Stanford — $2,000,001Alum Rock — $880,000
California home buying FAQs
On a typical California home of about $695,400, a 3.5% FHA down payment is roughly $24,339 and a 3% conventional down payment about $20,862, plus closing costs of 2%–5% of the loan.
Yes. California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) offers programs including MyHome Assistance, Dream For All Shared Appreciation, CalPLUS. Income, price and credit limits apply.
The 2026 baseline conforming limit for a one-unit home is $832,750 in most California counties; designated high-cost counties can be higher.
FHA limits are set by county. For 2026 they start at $541,287 for one-unit homes in lower-cost areas and rise in higher-cost counties.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates
- FHFA — 2026 Conforming Loan Limit Values
- HUD — 2026 FHA Forward Mortgage Limits (county file)
- NAIC — Homeowners Insurance Report, Data for 2023 (HO-3 average premium)
Data last updated October 23, 2026.
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Get My MatchesFigures on this page are estimates for educational purposes only and are not a loan offer or commitment to lend. Rates, loan limits, fees and assistance programs change frequently and vary by lender, location and borrower profile. Confirm current terms with a licensed loan officer.