The typical owner-occupied home in Grass Valley is worth about $482,200, 34% below the California median of $734,700 and 45% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,524 a year in property taxes, about 0.73% of their home's value, close to the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $51,764 a year, so the median home costs 9.3 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 40% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 61% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Grass Valley at a glance
| Grass Valley | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $482,200 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,524 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.73% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $51,764 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 40% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 61% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,423 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 31.6% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,458 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 38.2% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1978 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 7.0% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 14,113 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Grass Valley
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Grass Valley home of $482,200 with 20% down costs about $3,089 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,893, 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 $132,398 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 72% of the median Grass Valley household income of $51,764; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $189,000.
The median rent here is $1,458 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,631 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $96,440 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $385,760 |
| Principal and interest | $2,595 |
| Property taxes (0.73% a year) | $293 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $201 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,089 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $16,877 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $473,466 |
| Principal and interest | $3,185 |
| Property taxes (0.73% a year) | $293 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $201 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $213 |
| Total per month | $3,893 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Grass Valley
What is the median home value in Grass Valley?
About $482,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Grass Valley?
Homeowners pay a median $3,524 a year, which is about 0.73% 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 Grass Valley?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,089 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $132,398 a year.
More about Grass Valley
- Mortgage Refinance in Grass Valley
- Debt Relief in Grass Valley
- Home Equity Loans in Grass Valley
- 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