The typical owner-occupied home in Alameda County is worth about $1,090,100, 48% above the California median of $734,700 and 3.3 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $8,474 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $129,367 a year, so the median home costs 8.4 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 54% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Alameda County at a glance
| Alameda County | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,090,100 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $8,474 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.78% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $129,367 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 54% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 70% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $3,810 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 23.4% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $2,357 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.2% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1969 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 6.1% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,649,473 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Alameda County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Alameda County home of $1,090,100 with 20% down costs about $7,029 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $9,021, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $301,256 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 65% of the median Alameda County household income of $129,367; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $468,000.
The median rent here is $2,357 a month, so owning the median home costs about $4,672 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $218,020 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $872,080 |
| Principal and interest | $5,867 |
| Property taxes (0.78% a year) | $709 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $454 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $7,029 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $38,154 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $1,070,356 |
| Principal and interest | $7,200 |
| Property taxes (0.78% a year) | $709 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $454 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $657 |
| Total per month | $9,021 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Alameda County
What is the median home value in Alameda County?
About $1,090,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Alameda County?
Homeowners pay a median $8,474 a year, which is about 0.78% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Alameda County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $7,029 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $301,256 a year.
More about Alameda County
- Mortgage Refinance in Alameda County
- Debt Relief in Alameda County
- Home Equity Loans in Alameda County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data