The typical owner-occupied home in Tehachapi is worth about $355,500, 52% below the California median of $734,700 and 7% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,074 a year in property taxes, about 0.86% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $72,957 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 58% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Tehachapi at a glance
| Tehachapi | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $355,500 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,074 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.86% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $72,957 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 58% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 65% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,970 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 23.4% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,295 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.3% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1982 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 7.5% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 11,946 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Tehachapi
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Tehachapi home of $355,500 with 20% down costs about $2,316 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,908, 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 $99,261 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 38% of the median Tehachapi household income of $72,957; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $261,000.
The median rent here is $1,295 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,021 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $71,100 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $284,400 |
| Principal and interest | $1,913 |
| Property taxes (0.86% a year) | $255 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $148 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,316 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $12,442 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $349,061 |
| Principal and interest | $2,348 |
| Property taxes (0.86% a year) | $255 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $148 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $157 |
| Total per month | $2,908 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Tehachapi
What is the median home value in Tehachapi?
About $355,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Tehachapi?
Homeowners pay a median $3,074 a year, which is about 0.86% 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 Tehachapi?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,316 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $99,261 a year.
More about Tehachapi
- Mortgage Refinance in Tehachapi
- Debt Relief in Tehachapi
- Home Equity Loans in Tehachapi
- 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