The typical owner-occupied home in Lake Forest is worth about $937,000, 28% above the California median of $734,700 and 2.8 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $5,812 a year in property taxes, about 0.62% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $135,175 a year, so the median home costs 6.9 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 75% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Lake Forest at a glance
| Lake Forest | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $937,000 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $5,812 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.62% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $135,175 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 70% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 75% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $3,285 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.0% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $2,672 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 34.1% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1984 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 4.3% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 86,281 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Lake Forest
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lake Forest home of $937,000 with 20% down costs about $5,917 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $7,629, 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 $253,592 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 53% of the median Lake Forest household income of $135,175; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $499,000.
The median rent here is $2,672 a month, so owning the median home costs about $3,245 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $187,400 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $749,600 |
| Principal and interest | $5,043 |
| Property taxes (0.62% a year) | $484 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $390 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $5,917 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $32,795 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $920,029 |
| Principal and interest | $6,189 |
| Property taxes (0.62% a year) | $484 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $390 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $565 |
| Total per month | $7,629 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Lake Forest
What is the median home value in Lake Forest?
About $937,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Lake Forest?
Homeowners pay a median $5,812 a year, which is about 0.62% 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 Lake Forest?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $5,917 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $253,592 a year.
More about Lake Forest
- Mortgage Refinance in Lake Forest
- Debt Relief in Lake Forest
- Home Equity Loans in Lake Forest
- 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