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Buying a home in Ceres, California

The typical owner-occupied home in Ceres is worth about $424,800, 42% below the California median of $734,700 and 28% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,665 a year in property taxes, about 0.63% of their home's value, lower than the California rate of 0.70%. The median household earns $79,025 a year, so the median home costs 5.4 times the median income (7.4 times for California). 64% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Ceres at a glance

Ceres California U.S.
Median home value $424,800 $734,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,665 $5,124 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.63% 0.70% 0.94%
Median household income $79,025 $99,122 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 64% 56% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 65% 67% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,016 $2,946 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.9% 24.8% 21.0%
Median rent $1,639 $2,036 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.4% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1986 1976 1980
Vacant homes 3.3% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 49,342 39,287,377 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Ceres

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Ceres home of $424,800 with 20% down costs about $2,686 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,394, 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 $115,121 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 41% of the median Ceres household income of $79,025; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $292,000.

The median rent here is $1,639 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,047 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$84,960
Loan amount$339,840
Principal and interest$2,286
Property taxes (0.63% a year)$223
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$177
PMI$0
Total per month$2,686

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,868
Loan amount$417,106
Principal and interest$2,806
Property taxes (0.63% a year)$223
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$177
FHA mortgage insurance$188
Total per month$3,394

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Questions about home buying in Ceres

What is the median home value in Ceres?

About $424,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Ceres?

Homeowners pay a median $2,665 a year, which is about 0.63% 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 Ceres?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,686 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $115,121 a year.

More about Ceres

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