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Buying a home in Castro Valley, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Castro Valley is worth about $1,104,600, 50% above the California median of $734,700 and 3.3 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $8,225 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $142,779 a year, so the median home costs 7.7 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 67% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Castro Valley at a glance

Castro Valley California U.S.
Median home value $1,104,600 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $8,225 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.74% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $142,779 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 73% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 67% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $3,627 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.1% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $2,554 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.3% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1966 1976 1980
Vacant homes 4.1% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 65,001 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Castro Valley

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Castro Valley home of $1,104,600 with 20% down costs about $7,086 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $9,104, 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 $303,685 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 60% of the median Castro Valley household income of $142,779; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $519,000.

The median rent here is $2,554 a month, so owning the median home costs about $4,532 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$220,920
Loan amount$883,680
Principal and interest$5,945
Property taxes (0.74% a year)$681
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$460
PMI$0
Total per month$7,086

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$38,661
Loan amount$1,084,593
Principal and interest$7,296
Property taxes (0.74% a year)$681
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$460
FHA mortgage insurance$666
Total per month$9,104

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Questions about home buying in Castro Valley

What is the median home value in Castro Valley?

About $1,104,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Castro Valley?

Homeowners pay a median $8,225 a year, which is about 0.74% 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 Castro Valley?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $7,086 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $303,685 a year.

More about Castro Valley

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