Housing decision brief
Yuba County, CA Housing Market
Yuba 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.
22nd lowest home value out of 58 California counties with data | 14th lowest rent out of 57
Median home value
$380,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,209/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,651/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$442/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
$380,000 median home value is 16% below California county median
Lower rent
$1,209/mo is 21% below California county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$73,313 median income is 9% 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 Yuba 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. | $380,000 | $453,950 | $281,900 | 16% favorable16% below California county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,209 | $1,528 | $1,163 | 21% favorable21% below California county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,651 | $1,640 | $1,672 | Near state median1% above California county median |
Median household income | $73,313 | $80,702 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% 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. | 31.00% | 32.00% | N/A | Near state median31.00% 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
+$24,953
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$2,556
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Yuba County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,209/month representing approximately 19.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 31.0%.
Rent vs own
At $1,209/month rent versus $1,651/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $442/month cheaper , a 27% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $48,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $70,757/year. With a median household income of $73,313, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Yuba County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within California, Yuba County is less affordable than Shasta County by roughly 5% ($1,209/mo vs $1,267/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colusa County, CA | $375,100 | $1,139/mo | Same-state comparison near $375,100 home value and $1,139/mo rent. |
| Tuolumne County, CA | $406,200 | $1,247/mo | Same-state comparison near $406,200 home value and $1,247/mo rent. |
| Madera County, CA | $367,700 | $1,307/mo | Same-state comparison near $367,700 home value and $1,307/mo rent. |
| Fresno County, CA | $362,600 | $1,300/mo | Same-state comparison near $362,600 home value and $1,300/mo rent. |
| Shasta County, CA | $347,200 | $1,267/mo | Same-state comparison near $347,200 home value and $1,267/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Yuba County
Is Yuba County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Yuba County?
How much income do you need for housing in Yuba County?
What should I double-check before moving to Yuba County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.