Housing decision brief
Calaveras County, CA Housing Market
Calaveras County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
29th lowest home value out of 58 California counties with data | 31st lowest rent out of 57
Median home value
$441,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,615/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,590/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
33.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$25/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$441,800 median home value is 3% below California county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $25/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$79,877 median income is 1% below California county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Calaveras County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $441,800 | $453,950 | $281,900 | Near state median3% below California county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,615 | $1,528 | $1,163 | 6% pressure6% above California county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,590 | $1,640 | $1,672 | Near state median3% below California county median |
Median household income | $79,877 | $80,702 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below California county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.71% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 29% favorable29% below California county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 33.00% | 32.00% | N/A | Near state median33.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$15,277
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$11,734
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Calaveras County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,615/month , about 24.3% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Calaveras County pay $1,615/month on average, compared to $1,590/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 2%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $64,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $68,143/year. With a median household income of $79,877, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 33.0% of renter households in Calaveras County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within California, Calaveras County is less affordable than Sacramento County by roughly 5% ($1,615/mo vs $1,702/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanislaus County, CA | $426,600 | $1,528/mo | Same-state comparison near $426,600 home value and $1,528/mo rent. |
| San Bernardino County, CA | $475,000 | $1,706/mo | Same-state comparison near $475,000 home value and $1,706/mo rent. |
| Amador County, CA | $422,800 | $1,380/mo | Same-state comparison near $422,800 home value and $1,380/mo rent. |
| San Joaquin County, CA | $494,500 | $1,633/mo | Same-state comparison near $494,500 home value and $1,633/mo rent. |
| Mono County, CA | $514,300 | $1,593/mo | Same-state comparison near $514,300 home value and $1,593/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Calaveras County
Is Calaveras County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Calaveras County?
How much income do you need for housing in Calaveras County?
What should I double-check before moving to Calaveras County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.