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Buying a home in Torrance, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Torrance is worth about $1,074,700, 46% above the California median of $734,700 and 3.2 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $6,782 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 $116,217 a year, so the median home costs 9.2 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 55% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 64% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Torrance at a glance

Torrance California U.S.
Median home value $1,074,700 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $6,782 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.63% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $116,217 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 55% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 64% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $3,656 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 24.7% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $2,280 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.4% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1964 1976 1980
Vacant homes 7.4% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 142,130 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Torrance

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Torrance home of $1,074,700 with 20% down costs about $6,796 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $8,759, 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 $291,243 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 70% of the median Torrance household income of $116,217; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $429,000.

The median rent here is $2,280 a month, so owning the median home costs about $4,516 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$214,940
Loan amount$859,760
Principal and interest$5,784
Property taxes (0.63% a year)$564
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$448
PMI$0
Total per month$6,796

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$37,614
Loan amount$1,055,234
Principal and interest$7,099
Property taxes (0.63% a year)$564
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$448
FHA mortgage insurance$648
Total per month$8,759

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Questions about home buying in Torrance

What is the median home value in Torrance?

About $1,074,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Torrance?

Homeowners pay a median $6,782 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 Torrance?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $6,796 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $291,243 a year.

More about Torrance

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