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Buying a home in Nevada County, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Nevada County is worth about $621,800, 15% below the California median of $734,700 and 87% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,694 a year in property taxes, about 0.75% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $89,882 a year, so the median home costs 6.9 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 75% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 61% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Nevada County at a glance

Nevada County California U.S.
Median home value $621,800 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,694 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.75% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $89,882 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 75% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 61% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,851 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 27.5% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,677 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 34.1% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1983 1976 1980
Vacant homes 21.1% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 102,481 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Nevada County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Nevada County home of $621,800 with 20% down costs about $3,994 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $5,030, 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 $171,172 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 53% of the median Nevada County household income of $89,882; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $327,000.

The median rent here is $1,677 a month, so owning the median home costs about $2,317 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$124,360
Loan amount$497,440
Principal and interest$3,346
Property taxes (0.75% a year)$389
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$259
PMI$0
Total per month$3,994

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$21,763
Loan amount$610,538
Principal and interest$4,107
Property taxes (0.75% a year)$389
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$259
FHA mortgage insurance$275
Total per month$5,030

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Questions about home buying in Nevada County

What is the median home value in Nevada County?

About $621,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Nevada County?

Homeowners pay a median $4,694 a year, which is about 0.75% 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 Nevada County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,994 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $171,172 a year.

More about Nevada County

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