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Buying a home in San Bernardino County, California

The typical owner-occupied home in San Bernardino County is worth about $505,000, 31% below the California median of $734,700 and 52% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,538 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 $85,478 a year, so the median home costs 5.9 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 69% of those owners still have a mortgage.

San Bernardino County at a glance

San Bernardino County California U.S.
Median home value $505,000 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,538 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.70% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $85,478 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 62% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 69% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,368 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 25.0% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,801 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 34.3% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1983 1976 1980
Vacant homes 9.3% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 2,197,104 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in San Bernardino County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median San Bernardino County home of $505,000 with 20% down costs about $3,223 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,064, 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 $138,117 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 45% of the median San Bernardino County household income of $85,478; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $313,000.

The median rent here is $1,801 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,422 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$101,000
Loan amount$404,000
Principal and interest$2,718
Property taxes (0.70% a year)$295
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$210
PMI$0
Total per month$3,223

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$17,675
Loan amount$495,853
Principal and interest$3,336
Property taxes (0.70% a year)$295
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$210
FHA mortgage insurance$223
Total per month$4,064

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Questions about home buying in San Bernardino County

What is the median home value in San Bernardino County?

About $505,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in San Bernardino County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,538 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 San Bernardino County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,223 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $138,117 a year.

More about San Bernardino County

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