Home / Home Buying by state / California / Merced County / Dos Palos

Buying a home in Dos Palos, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Dos Palos is worth about $299,500, 59% below the California median of $734,700 and 10% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,663 a year in property taxes, about 0.56% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $42,367 a year, so the median home costs 7.1 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Dos Palos at a glance

Dos Palos California U.S.
Median home value $299,500 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,663 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.56% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $42,367 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 60% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 54% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,473 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.7% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,125 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 26.6% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1976 1976 1980
Vacant homes 1.0% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 5,765 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Dos Palos

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Dos Palos home of $299,500 with 20% down costs about $1,876 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,375, 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 $80,415 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 53% of the median Dos Palos household income of $42,367; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $158,000.

The median rent here is $1,125 a month, so owning the median home costs about $751 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$59,900
Loan amount$239,600
Principal and interest$1,612
Property taxes (0.56% a year)$140
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$125
PMI$0
Total per month$1,876

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,482
Loan amount$294,075
Principal and interest$1,978
Property taxes (0.56% a year)$140
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$125
FHA mortgage insurance$132
Total per month$2,375

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Dos Palos

What is the median home value in Dos Palos?

About $299,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Dos Palos?

Homeowners pay a median $1,663 a year, which is about 0.56% 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 Dos Palos?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,876 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $80,415 a year.

More about Dos Palos

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