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Buying a home in Lower Lake, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Lower Lake is worth about $327,600, 55% below the California median of $734,700 and about the same as the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,810 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 $31,652 a year, so the median home costs 10.4 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 39% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 51% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Lower Lake at a glance

Lower Lake California U.S.
Median home value $327,600 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,810 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.86% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $31,652 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 39% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 51% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage – $2,946 $1,963
Median rent $1,038 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 51.0% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1983 1976 1980
Vacant homes 14.1% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 635 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Lower Lake

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lower Lake home of $327,600 with 20% down costs about $2,134 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,680, 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 $91,470 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 81% of the median Lower Lake household income of $31,652; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $113,000.

The median rent here is $1,038 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,096 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$65,520
Loan amount$262,080
Principal and interest$1,763
Property taxes (0.86% a year)$235
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$136
PMI$0
Total per month$2,134

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$11,466
Loan amount$321,666
Principal and interest$2,164
Property taxes (0.86% a year)$235
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$136
FHA mortgage insurance$145
Total per month$2,680

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Questions about home buying in Lower Lake

What is the median home value in Lower Lake?

About $327,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Lower Lake?

Homeowners pay a median $2,810 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 Lower Lake?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,134 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $91,470 a year.

More about Lower Lake

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