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Buying a home in Willits, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Willits is worth about $371,100, 49% below the California median of $734,700 and 12% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,827 a year in property taxes, about 0.76% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $63,447 a year, so the median home costs 5.8 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 41% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 67% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Willits at a glance

Willits California U.S.
Median home value $371,100 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,827 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.76% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $63,447 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 41% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 67% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,689 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 34.9% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,197 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.6% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1976 1976 1980
Vacant homes 6.8% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 4,920 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Willits

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Willits home of $371,100 with 20% down costs about $2,387 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,005, 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 $102,291 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 45% of the median Willits household income of $63,447; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $230,000.

The median rent here is $1,197 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,190 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$74,220
Loan amount$296,880
Principal and interest$1,997
Property taxes (0.76% a year)$235
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$155
PMI$0
Total per month$2,387

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$12,988
Loan amount$364,378
Principal and interest$2,451
Property taxes (0.76% a year)$235
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$155
FHA mortgage insurance$164
Total per month$3,005

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Questions about home buying in Willits

What is the median home value in Willits?

About $371,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Willits?

Homeowners pay a median $2,827 a year, which is about 0.76% 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 Willits?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,387 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $102,291 a year.

More about Willits

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