Home / Home Buying by state / California / San Bernardino County / Joshua Tree

Buying a home in Joshua Tree, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Joshua Tree is worth about $334,200, 55% below the California median of $734,700 and about the same as the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,993 a year in property taxes, about 0.60% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $66,291 a year, so the median home costs 5.0 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 66% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 59% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Joshua Tree at a glance

Joshua Tree California U.S.
Median home value $334,200 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,993 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.60% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $66,291 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 66% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 59% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,494 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.0% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,246 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 34.6% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1980 1976 1980
Vacant homes 35.8% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 6,234 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Joshua Tree

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Joshua Tree home of $334,200 with 20% down costs about $2,105 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,662, 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 $90,210 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 38% of the median Joshua Tree household income of $66,291; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $246,000.

The median rent here is $1,246 a month, so owning the median home costs about $859 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$66,840
Loan amount$267,360
Principal and interest$1,799
Property taxes (0.60% a year)$167
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$139
PMI$0
Total per month$2,105

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$11,697
Loan amount$328,147
Principal and interest$2,207
Property taxes (0.60% a year)$167
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$139
FHA mortgage insurance$148
Total per month$2,662

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Joshua Tree

What is the median home value in Joshua Tree?

About $334,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Joshua Tree?

Homeowners pay a median $1,993 a year, which is about 0.60% 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 Joshua Tree?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,105 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $90,210 a year.

More about Joshua Tree

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