The typical owner-occupied home in Madera County is worth about $393,200, 46% below the California median of $734,700 and 18% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,756 a year in property taxes, about 0.70% of their home's value, close to the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $76,627 a year, so the median home costs 5.1 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 67% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Madera County at a glance
| Madera County | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $393,200 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,756 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.70% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $76,627 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 67% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 65% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,052 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 25.5% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,390 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 33.6% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1988 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 11.0% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 160,940 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Madera County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Madera County home of $393,200 with 20% down costs about $2,509 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,164, 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 $107,540 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 39% of the median Madera County household income of $76,627; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $280,000.
The median rent here is $1,390 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,119 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $78,640 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $314,560 |
| Principal and interest | $2,116 |
| Property taxes (0.70% a year) | $229 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $164 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,509 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $13,762 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $386,078 |
| Principal and interest | $2,597 |
| Property taxes (0.70% a year) | $229 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $164 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $174 |
| Total per month | $3,164 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Madera County
What is the median home value in Madera County?
About $393,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Madera County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,756 a year, which is about 0.70% 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 Madera County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,509 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $107,540 a year.
More about Madera County
- Mortgage Refinance in Madera County
- Debt Relief in Madera County
- Home Equity Loans in Madera County
- 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