The typical owner-occupied home in Big Bear Lake is worth about $576,700, 22% below the California median of $734,700 and 73% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,239 a year in property taxes, about 0.74% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $76,250 a year, so the median home costs 7.6 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Big Bear Lake at a glance
| Big Bear Lake | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $576,700 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,239 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.74% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $76,250 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 57% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,148 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.0% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,454 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 36.7% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1976 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 76.3% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 5,041 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Big Bear Lake
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Big Bear Lake home of $576,700 with 20% down costs about $3,700 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,660, 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 $158,551 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 58% of the median Big Bear Lake household income of $76,250; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $277,000.
The median rent here is $1,454 a month, so owning the median home costs about $2,246 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $115,340 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $461,360 |
| Principal and interest | $3,104 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $356 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $240 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,700 |
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| Down payment | $20,184 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $566,255 |
| Principal and interest | $3,809 |
| Property taxes (0.74% a year) | $356 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $240 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $255 |
| Total per month | $4,660 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Big Bear Lake
What is the median home value in Big Bear Lake?
About $576,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Big Bear Lake?
Homeowners pay a median $4,239 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 Big Bear Lake?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,700 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $158,551 a year.
More about Big Bear Lake
- Mortgage Refinance in Big Bear Lake
- Debt Relief in Big Bear Lake
- Home Equity Loans in Big Bear Lake
- 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