The typical owner-occupied home in Thermal is worth about $187,000, 75% below the California median of $734,700 and 44% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,376 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. 57% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 11% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Thermal at a glance
| Thermal | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $187,000 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,376 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.74% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | – | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 57% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 11% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | – | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 39.5% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $986 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.6% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1977 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 17.0% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,800 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Thermal
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Thermal home of $187,000 with 20% down costs about $1,200 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,511, 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 $51,411 for the 20%-down payment.
The median rent here is $986 a month, so owning the median home costs about $214 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $37,400 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $149,600 |
| Principal and interest | $1,006 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $115 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $78 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,200 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,545 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $183,613 |
| Principal and interest | $1,235 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $115 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $78 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $83 |
| Total per month | $1,511 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Thermal
What is the median home value in Thermal?
About $187,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Thermal?
Homeowners pay a median $1,376 a year, which is about 0.74% 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 Thermal?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,200 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $51,411 a year.
More about Thermal
- Mortgage Refinance in Thermal
- Debt Relief in Thermal
- Home Equity Loans in Thermal
- 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