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Buying a home in Brawley, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Brawley is worth about $290,700, 60% below the California median of $734,700 and 13% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,829 a year in property taxes, about 0.63% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $59,311 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 52% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Brawley at a glance

Brawley California U.S.
Median home value $290,700 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,829 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.63% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $59,311 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 52% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,810 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.5% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $988 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.6% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1985 1976 1980
Vacant homes 8.9% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 27,283 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Brawley

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Brawley home of $290,700 with 20% down costs about $1,838 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,322, 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 $78,780 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Brawley household income of $59,311; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $219,000.

The median rent here is $988 a month, so owning the median home costs about $850 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$58,140
Loan amount$232,560
Principal and interest$1,564
Property taxes (0.63% a year)$153
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$121
PMI$0
Total per month$1,838

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,174
Loan amount$285,435
Principal and interest$1,920
Property taxes (0.63% a year)$153
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$121
FHA mortgage insurance$129
Total per month$2,322

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Questions about home buying in Brawley

What is the median home value in Brawley?

About $290,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Brawley?

Homeowners pay a median $1,829 a year, which is about 0.63% 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 Brawley?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,838 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $78,780 a year.

More about Brawley

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