Home / Home Buying by state / California / Calaveras County / Rail Road Flat

Buying a home in Rail Road Flat, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Rail Road Flat is worth about $426,100, 42% below the California median of $734,700 and 28% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,500 a year in property taxes, about 0.59% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $87,951 a year, so the median home costs 4.8 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 84% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 85% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Rail Road Flat at a glance

Rail Road Flat California U.S.
Median home value $426,100 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,500 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.59% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $87,951 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 84% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 85% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,167 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 28.3% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $914 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 13.6% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1979 1976 1980
Vacant homes 43.2% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 498 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Rail Road Flat

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rail Road Flat home of $426,100 with 20% down costs about $2,680 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,390, 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 $114,864 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Rail Road Flat household income of $87,951; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $326,000.

The median rent here is $914 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,766 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$85,220
Loan amount$340,880
Principal and interest$2,293
Property taxes (0.59% a year)$210
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$178
PMI$0
Total per month$2,680

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,914
Loan amount$418,382
Principal and interest$2,814
Property taxes (0.59% a year)$210
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$178
FHA mortgage insurance$188
Total per month$3,390

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Rail Road Flat

What is the median home value in Rail Road Flat?

About $426,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Rail Road Flat?

Homeowners pay a median $2,500 a year, which is about 0.59% 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 Rail Road Flat?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,680 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $114,864 a year.

More about Rail Road Flat

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