The typical owner-occupied home in Santa Ynez is worth about $1,163,000, 58% above the California median of $734,700 and 3.5 times the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $8,542 a year in property taxes, about 0.73% of their home's value, higher than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $110,781 a year, so the median home costs 10.5 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Santa Ynez at a glance
| Santa Ynez | California | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,163,000 | $734,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $8,542 | $5,124 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.73% | 0.70% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $110,781 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 56% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 60% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $4,001 | $2,946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 30.8% | 24.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,969 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.7% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1978 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 14.0% | 7.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 4,467 | 39,287,377 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Santa Ynez
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Santa Ynez home of $1,163,000 with 20% down costs about $7,451 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $9,575, 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 $319,326 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 81% of the median Santa Ynez household income of $110,781; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $403,000.
The median rent here is $1,969 a month, so owning the median home costs about $5,482 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $232,600 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $930,400 |
| Principal and interest | $6,259 |
| Property taxes (0.73% a year) | $707 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $485 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $7,451 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $40,705 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $1,141,935 |
| Principal and interest | $7,682 |
| Property taxes (0.73% a year) | $707 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $485 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $701 |
| Total per month | $9,575 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Santa Ynez
What is the median home value in Santa Ynez?
About $1,163,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Santa Ynez?
Homeowners pay a median $8,542 a year, which is about 0.73% 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 Santa Ynez?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $7,451 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $319,326 a year.
More about Santa Ynez
- Mortgage Refinance in Santa Ynez
- Debt Relief in Santa Ynez
- Home Equity Loans in Santa Ynez
- 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