The typical owner-occupied home in El Cajon is worth about $681,700, 7% below the California median of $734,700 and 2.0 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,533 a year in property taxes, about 0.66% of their home's value, close to the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $67,511 a year, so the median home costs 10.1 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 42% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.
El Cajon at a glance
| El Cajon | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $681,700 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,533 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.66% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $67,511 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 42% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 70% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,722 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 26.9% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,856 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 42.3% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1974 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.7% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 104,449 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in El Cajon
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median El Cajon home of $681,700 with 20% down costs about $4,328 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $5,463, 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 $185,471 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 77% of the median El Cajon household income of $67,511; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $248,000.
The median rent here is $1,856 a month, so owning the median home costs about $2,472 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $136,340 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $545,360 |
| Principal and interest | $3,669 |
| Property taxes (0.66% a year) | $375 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $284 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $4,328 |
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| Down payment | $23,860 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $669,353 |
| Principal and interest | $4,503 |
| Property taxes (0.66% a year) | $375 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $284 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $302 |
| Total per month | $5,463 |
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Questions about home buying in El Cajon
What is the median home value in El Cajon?
About $681,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in El Cajon?
Homeowners pay a median $4,533 a year, which is about 0.66% 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 El Cajon?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $4,328 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $185,471 a year.
More about El Cajon
- Mortgage Refinance in El Cajon
- Debt Relief in El Cajon
- Home Equity Loans in El Cajon
- 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