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Buying a home in Bell, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Bell is worth about $591,600, 19% below the California median of $734,700 and 78% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,770 a year in property taxes, about 0.81% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $61,020 a year, so the median home costs 9.7 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 26% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Bell at a glance

Bell California U.S.
Median home value $591,600 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,770 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.81% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $61,020 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 26% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,386 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 27.0% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,575 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 40.3% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1956 1976 1980
Vacant homes 2.8% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 32,476 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Bell

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Bell home of $591,600 with 20% down costs about $3,830 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,815, 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 $164,126 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 75% of the median Bell household income of $61,020; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $220,000.

The median rent here is $1,575 a month, so owning the median home costs about $2,255 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$118,320
Loan amount$473,280
Principal and interest$3,184
Property taxes (0.81% a year)$399
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$246
PMI$0
Total per month$3,830

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$20,706
Loan amount$580,885
Principal and interest$3,908
Property taxes (0.81% a year)$399
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$246
FHA mortgage insurance$262
Total per month$4,815

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Questions about home buying in Bell

What is the median home value in Bell?

About $591,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Bell?

Homeowners pay a median $4,770 a year, which is about 0.81% 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 Bell?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,830 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $164,126 a year.

More about Bell

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