California mortgage calculator
Calculate your true monthly payment on a California home. Includes the state's average property tax (0.75%) and homeowners insurance rate (0.45%).
Enter your numbers
Advanced (taxes, insurance, PMI, HOA)
Monthly breakdown
Your real rate depends on credit, loan type, and market conditions. Estimates only based on national averages. Always confirm with a licensed lender.
This payment may be overstretched
At $3,043/mo, a $85,000-income household would spend 43.0% of gross pay on housing — above the 36% stretched ceiling. Consider a lower price, bigger down payment, or waiting for rates to drop before locking in this budget.
Because your down payment is 10.0%, PMI of $225/mo is baked into that payment. See how PMI affects your payment.
Benchmark: a typical $85,000/yr household can comfortably afford about $1,983/mo for housing (28% front-end) and up to $2,550/mo at the 36% stretch ceiling.
What changed your payment most?
All values are the change in total monthly payment from your current scenario.
| Scenario | +$50k home price | +1% rate | +10% down payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change in monthly payment | +$380 | +$244 | −$484 |
| New total monthly | $3,424 | $3,287 | $2,559 |
Biggest mover: a 10% larger down payment. If you have flexibility on one of those levers, that’s where focus pays off.
Down payment scenarios
Same $400,000 home at 6.750% for 30 years — only the down payment changes.
| Scenario | 5% down $20,000 | 10% down $40,000 | 20% down $80,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total monthly payment | $3,186 | $3,043 | $2,559 |
| Principal & interest | $2,465 | $2,335 | $2,076 |
| Monthly PMI Drops to $0 once LTV ≤ 80% | $238 | $225 | — |
| Loan amount | $380,000 | $360,000 | $320,000 |
| Total interest paid | $507,282 | $480,583 | $427,185 |
Rate shopping scenarios
Locking a slightly better rate changes both your monthly payment and lifetime interest.
| Scenario | 6.250% −0.5% | 6.750% Current | 7.250% +0.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total monthly payment | $2,925 | $3,043 | $3,164 |
| Principal & interest | $2,217 | $2,335 | $2,456 |
| Total interest paid | $437,969 | $480,583 | $524,100 |
That’s why shopping at least 3 lenders typically saves thousands over the life of a loan.
Common mistakes buyers make
Find out how much cash you’ll need to close
Now that you know the monthly, get a realistic estimate of what you’ll owe at the closing table — lender fees, title, escrow, and prepaid items.
What makes a mortgage in California different
In California, the average effective property tax rate is around 0.75% of home value, and homeowners insurance typically runs 0.45%. On a $350,000 home, that's about $2,625 in taxes and $1,575 in insurance per year.
This calculator uses those state defaults so your monthly estimate reflects California realities, not national averages.
How to lower your California mortgage payment
- • Put at least 20% down to avoid PMI.
- • Shop at least 3 lenders — rates vary by 0.25–0.5%.
- • Ask about state and local first-time buyer programs.
- • Check your property assessment — successful appeals cut your tax bill.
Frequently asked questions
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