City · 5,325 residents · Riverside County, California
El Cerrito (Riverside County), California
In El Cerrito, a typical home is worth $627,400 and typical rent is $1,787 a month. Compared with all of Riverside County, typical household income is 17% higher, the typical home value is 13% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 13 points higher.
El Cerrito is in Riverside County. The FHA loan limit ($690,000 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Riverside County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
82% of households in El Cerrito own their home, against 69% in Riverside County.
2
The typical household income in El Cerrito is $108,882,17% more than in Riverside County as a whole ($93,074).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in El Cerrito
What homes there are in El Cerrito, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
United States
Kind of home: El Cerrito and its comparisons
Measure
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
United States
Detached house
97%
69%
57%
61%
Attached house
Unreliable estimate
6%
7%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
Unreliable estimate
5%
8%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
Unreliable estimate
12%
24%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
9%
4%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
The detached house rules in El Cerrito: 97% of homes, more than in Riverside County (69%).
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
United States
Year built: El Cerrito and its comparisons
Measure
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
United States
Before 1960
Unreliable estimate
9%
27%
26%
1960–1979
31%
21%
29%
24%
1980–1999
44%
34%
25%
25%
2000–2009
Unreliable estimate
24%
11%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
11%
8%
11%
The typical home in El Cerrito was built in 1981, 9 years before the typical one in Riverside County.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100KUnreliable
$100K–$200KUnreliable
$200K–$300KUnreliable
$300K–$500KUnreliable
$500K–$750K55%
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: El Cerrito and its comparisons
Measure
El Cerrito
Under $100K
Unreliable estimate
$100K–$200K
Unreliable estimate
$200K–$300K
Unreliable estimate
$300K–$500K
Unreliable estimate
$500K–$750K
55%
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$999Unreliable
$1,000–$1,499Unreliable
$1,500–$1,999Unreliable
$2,000–$2,49933%
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: El Cerrito and its comparisons
Measure
El Cerrito
Under $500
Unreliable
$500–$999
Unreliable estimate
$1,000–$1,499
Unreliable estimate
$1,500–$1,999
Unreliable estimate
$2,000–$2,499
33%
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
With a mortgage
$3,020 a month
Riverside County: $2,583 a month
Without a mortgage
$690 a month
Riverside County: $781 a month
Owners with a mortgage
66%
Riverside County: 69%
Owning costs more in El Cerrito: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $3,020 a month; in Riverside County, $2,583. Without one, $690.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
El Cerrito+36%
Riverside County+59%
California+46%
United States+53%
Typical rent
El CerritoNo clear change
Riverside County+38%
California+36%
United States+33%
Typical household income
El CerritoNo clear change
Riverside County+39%
California+32%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: El Cerrito and its comparisons
Measure
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
United States
Typical home value
+36%
+59%
+46%
+53%
Typical rent
No clear change
+38%
+36%
+33%
Typical household income
No clear change
+39%
+32%
+29%
Homes in El Cerrito gained value more slowly than in Riverside County: 36% since 2015–2019, against 59%.
The typical rent in El Cerrito stayed about the same over that time: the difference is within the Census margin of error.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: El Cerrito and its comparisons
Measure
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
5.0%
4.2%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.0%
0.8%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
7.8%
8.2%
3.4%
People per household
3.53
3.15
2.84
2.53
Drive alone
75%
73%
66%
69%
Carpool
16%
11%
10%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
1%
3%
3%
Work from home
Unreliable estimate
12%
17%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
1%
2%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
On average, a household in El Cerrito has 3.53 people, more than in Riverside County (3.15).
In El Cerrito, 16% of workers share a car to get to work; in Riverside County, 11%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in El Cerrito?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in El Cerrito, worth $627,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 56% of the typical household income in El Cerrito, which is $108,882 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $215,842 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Riverside County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in El Cerrito. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $21,959 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$5,036
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$616,036
Total interest
$886,332
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $10,595 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $2,541 a month
Tight
$2,541 to $3,266 a month
Hard
more than $3,266 a month
Your payment · 56%
Compared with the typical household income in El Cerrito ($108,882 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$4,173
Property tax
$324
Home insurance
$261
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$277
You need at least $21,959 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $5,036; principal and interest $4,173.
The city and its county
El Cerrito and Riverside County
El Cerrito is in Riverside County, California. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
El Cerrito
Map of Riverside County, California, with El Cerrito marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
El Cerrito
Riverside County
Other cities with a page
El Cerrito's own numbers
Typical home value
$627,400
Typical monthly rent
$1,787
Typical yearly household income
$108,882
Households that own their home
82%
Effective property tax rate
0.62%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Riverside County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$690,000
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,103
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.9%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Riverside County.
A typical home in El Cerrito is worth $627,400: 13% above the county and 15% below California. With the typical household income in El Cerrito ($108,882 a year), a typical home costs 5.8 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
El Cerrito5.8 years
Riverside6.0 years
California7.4 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Riverside County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Riverside County rose 105% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Riverside County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Riverside County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +6.6% +6.6% 2016
2017: +7.7% +7.7% 2017
2018: +7.1% +7.1% 2018
2019: +4.0% +4.0% 2019
2020: +4.1% +4.1% 2020
2021: +17.3% +17.3% 2021
2022: +19.1% +19.1% 2022
2023: +3.1% +3.1% 2023
2024: +5.8% +5.8% 2024
2025: +1.3% +1.3% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Riverside County, California and the United States
Period
County
California
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+1.3%
+0.8%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+54%
+40%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+105%
+80%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
El Cerrito next to Riverside County, California and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
El Cerrito$627,400
Riverside$557,300
California$734,700
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
El Cerrito$1,787
Riverside$1,901
California$2,036
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
El Cerrito$108,882
Riverside$93,074
California$99,122
United States$80,734
See the full table
El Cerrito next to Riverside County and California
Measure
El Cerrito
Riverside County
California
U.S.
Typical home value
$627,400 ▲13% above the county
$557,300
$734,700
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,787 ▼6% below the county
$1,901
$2,036
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$108,882 ▲17% above the county
$93,074
$99,122
$80,734
Households that own their home
82% ▲13 points above the county
69%
56%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$3,920 ▼10% below the county
$4,348
$5,124
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
0.62% ▼0.16 points below the county
0.78%
0.7%
0.94%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Riverside County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in El Cerrito
For a typical $627,400 home in El Cerrito, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, El Cerrito's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$5,036a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$21,959
Cash to close
$40,781
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $277
Conventional, 5% down$4,921a month
Down payment
$31,370
Cash to close
$50,192
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $298
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$3,986a month
Down payment
$125,480
Cash to close
$144,302
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$4,566a month
Down payment
$94,110
Cash to close
$112,932
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in El Cerrito
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$5,036
$21,959
$616,036
7.18%
FHA MIP · $277
$40,781
580
Conventional, 5% down
$4,921
$31,370
$596,030
7.18%
PMI · $298
$50,192
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$3,986
$125,480
$501,920
7.18%
None
$144,302
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$4,566
$94,110
$533,290
8.18%
None
$112,932
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in El Cerrito is $1,787 a month: 6% below the county.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Riverside County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,103 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $40.44 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Riverside County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$1,605
$30.87
$64,200
1 bedroom
$1,705
$32.79
$68,200
2 bedrooms
$2,103
$40.44
$84,120
3 bedrooms
$2,771
$53.29
$110,840
4 bedrooms
$3,336
$64.15
$133,440
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in El Cerrito
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). El Cerrito is in ZIP code 92881.
For 2 bedrooms it is $2,580: $477 more than the fair market rent for Riverside County ($2,103).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in El Cerrito, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
92881
$1,970
$2,090
$2,580
$3,400
$4,090
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
92881 $2,580$3,400
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for El Cerrito when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
There are 9 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Riverside County; 7 say they serve in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for El Cerrito or Riverside County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in El Cerrito the same as in the rest of the state.
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers in California.Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
CalHFA down payment loan for first-generation buyers in California; when you sell, you repay the loan plus a share of the home's appreciation.Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
CalHFA second loan with deferred payments for the down payment or closing costs of first-time buyers who use the CalPLUS Access mortgage (FHA or conventional).Offered by California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA).
No legal help resource on our list is for El Cerrito or Riverside County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for El Cerrito and all of Riverside County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in El Cerrito?
The typical home value in El Cerrito is $627,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Riverside County it is $557,300.
How much does it cost to rent in El Cerrito?
Typical rent in El Cerrito is $1,787 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Riverside County is $2,103.
What is the FHA loan limit in El Cerrito?
El Cerrito uses the FHA limit for all of Riverside County (2026): $690,000 for a one-unit home and $1,326,950 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in El Cerrito?
The typical homeowner in El Cerrito pays $3,920 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.62% of the home’s value; in Riverside County, the rate is 0.78%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in El Cerrito?
There are 9 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Riverside County. 7 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
