The typical owner-occupied home in Plumas County is worth about $360,200, 51% below the California median of $734,700 and 8% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,537 a year in property taxes, about 0.70% of their home's value, close to the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $66,031 a year, so the median home costs 5.5 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 75% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 50% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Plumas County at a glance
| Plumas County | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,200 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,537 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.70% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $66,031 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 75% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 50% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,874 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.9% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,194 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 26.4% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1981 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 46.0% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 19,423 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Plumas County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Plumas County home of $360,200 with 20% down costs about $2,299 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,899, 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 $98,514 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 42% of the median Plumas County household income of $66,031; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $241,000.
The median rent here is $1,194 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,105 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $72,040 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $288,160 |
| Principal and interest | $1,938 |
| Property taxes (0.70% a year) | $210 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $150 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,299 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $12,607 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $353,676 |
| Principal and interest | $2,379 |
| Property taxes (0.70% a year) | $210 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $150 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $159 |
| Total per month | $2,899 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Plumas County
What is the median home value in Plumas County?
About $360,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Plumas County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,537 a year, which is about 0.70% 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 Plumas County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,299 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $98,514 a year.
More about Plumas County
- Mortgage Refinance in Plumas County
- Debt Relief in Plumas County
- Home Equity Loans in Plumas County
- 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