Housing decision brief
Fresno County, CA Housing Market
Fresno County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
18th lowest home value out of 58 California counties with data | 23rd lowest rent out of 57
Median home value
$362,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,300/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,548/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
32.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$248/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$362,600 median home value is 20% below California county median
Lower rent
$1,300/mo is 15% below California county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$71,434 median income is 11% below California county median
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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Fresno 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. | $362,600 | $453,950 | $281,900 | 20% favorable20% below California county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,300 | $1,528 | $1,163 | 15% favorable15% below California county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,548 | $1,640 | $1,672 | 6% favorable6% below California county median |
Median household income | $71,434 | $80,702 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below California county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.75% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 25% favorable25% below California county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 32.00% | 32.00% | N/A | Near state median32.00% 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
+$19,434
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$5,091
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Fresno County is affordable. The median rent is $1,300/month against a median household income of $71,434, putting rent at 21.8% of income.
Rent vs own
At $1,300/month rent versus $1,548/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $248/month cheaper , a 16% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $52,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $66,343/year. With a median household income of $71,434, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 32.0% of renter households in Fresno County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Humboldt County where rent averages $1,249/month, Fresno County is approximately 4% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madera County, CA | $367,700 | $1,307/mo | Same-state comparison near $367,700 home value and $1,307/mo rent. |
| Shasta County, CA | $347,200 | $1,267/mo | Same-state comparison near $347,200 home value and $1,267/mo rent. |
| Merced County, CA | $368,400 | $1,284/mo | Same-state comparison near $368,400 home value and $1,284/mo rent. |
| Mariposa County, CA | $358,000 | $1,268/mo | Same-state comparison near $358,000 home value and $1,268/mo rent. |
| Yuba County, CA | $380,000 | $1,209/mo | Same-state comparison near $380,000 home value and $1,209/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Fresno County
Is Fresno County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Fresno County?
How much income do you need for housing in Fresno County?
What should I double-check before moving to Fresno County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.