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Buying a home in Laguna Woods, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Laguna Woods is worth about $394,600, 46% below the California median of $734,700 and 19% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,713 a year in property taxes, about 0.69% of their home's value, close to the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $59,269 a year, so the median home costs 6.7 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 25% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Laguna Woods at a glance

Laguna Woods California U.S.
Median home value $394,600 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,713 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.69% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $59,269 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 72% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 25% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,196 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 38.6% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $2,328 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 51.0% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1969 1976 1980
Vacant homes 12.2% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 17,289 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Laguna Woods

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Laguna Woods home of $394,600 with 20% down costs about $2,515 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,172, 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 $107,782 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 51% of the median Laguna Woods household income of $59,269; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $217,000.

The median rent here is $2,328 a month, so owning the median home costs about $187 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$78,920
Loan amount$315,680
Principal and interest$2,124
Property taxes (0.69% a year)$227
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$164
PMI$0
Total per month$2,515

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$13,811
Loan amount$387,453
Principal and interest$2,606
Property taxes (0.69% a year)$227
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$164
FHA mortgage insurance$175
Total per month$3,172

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Questions about home buying in Laguna Woods

What is the median home value in Laguna Woods?

About $394,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Laguna Woods?

Homeowners pay a median $2,713 a year, which is about 0.69% 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 Laguna Woods?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,515 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $107,782 a year.

More about Laguna Woods

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