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 |
How much equity El Cajon owners could borrow
Home equity is what your home is worth minus what you owe. Most lenders let you borrow until your loans add up to 80% to 85% of the home's value. For the median El Cajon home of $681,700, 80% is $545,360.
30% of El Cajon owners have no mortgage at all, so they could borrow up to the full 80% limit.
Owners with a mortgage here already spend a median $2,722 a month on housing, so a new payment should fit next to that. At the median income of $67,511, lenders typically cap all debt payments at about 43% of gross income, or $2,419 a month.
If you instead refinance and take cash out, the whole loan moves to the new rate (this week's 30-year average is 7.11%). A home equity loan or line of credit keeps your current first mortgage, which is usually better when your existing rate is lower than today's.
| Owe nothing | $545,360 to $579,445 |
|---|---|
| Owe $170,425 | $374,935 to $409,020 |
| Owe $340,850 | $204,510 to $238,595 |
| Owe $443,105 | $102,255 to $136,340 |
Before the lender's own limits, fees and your credit and income checks.
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home equity loans 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.
How much can I borrow against my home in El Cajon?
Usually up to 80% to 85% of your home's value, minus what you owe. On the median home of $681,700, an 80% limit is $545,360 before subtracting your mortgage.
More about El Cajon
- Mortgage Refinance in El Cajon
- Home Buying in El Cajon
- Debt Relief 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