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City · 9,201 residents · Santa Cruz County, California

Rio del Mar , California

In Rio del Mar, a typical home is worth $1,338,100 and typical rent is $3,407 a month. Compared with all of Santa Cruz County, typical rent is 50% higher, typical household income is 44% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 15 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $1,338,100

    30% above the county

    82% above California

    • Rio del Mar
    • Santa Cruz
    • California

  • Typical rent

    $3,407a month

    50% above the county

    67% above California

    • Rio del Mar
    • Santa Cruz
    • California

  • Typical household income

    $159,929a year

    44% above the county

    61% above California

    • Rio del Mar
    • Santa Cruz
    • California

  • Households that own their home

    75%

    15 points above the county

    19 points above California

    • Rio del Mar
    • Santa Cruz
    • California

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Rio del Mar is in Santa Cruz County. The FHA loan limit ($1,249,125 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Santa Cruz County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Rio del Mar apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. The typical rent in Rio del Mar is $3,407 a month, 50% more than in Santa Cruz County as a whole ($2,264).

  2. Nearby, in Capitola, the typical home value is $783,000: 41% less than in Rio del Mar ($1,338,100).

  3. Nearby, in Aptos, the typical rent is $2,059: 40% less than in Rio del Mar ($3,407).

  4. The typical household income in Rio del Mar is $159,929, 44% more than in Santa Cruz County as a whole ($111,093).

  5. 75% of households in Rio del Mar own their home, against 60% in Santa Cruz County.

  6. The typical home in Rio del Mar is worth $1,338,100, 30% more than in Santa Cruz County as a whole ($1,027,500).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Rio del Mar

What homes there are in Rio del Mar, 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 houses, standing on their own, make up 81% of homes here, against 63% in Santa Cruz County.

Year built

The typical year built in Rio del Mar is 1973, about the same as in Santa Cruz County (1974).

In Rio del Mar, 70% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in Santa Cruz County (50%).

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

Without a mortgage

$1,401 a month

Santa Cruz County: $956 a month

Owners with a mortgage

69%

Santa Cruz County: 63%

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Rio del Mar rose 44%; in Santa Cruz County, it rose 36%.

Rents in Rio del Mar rose faster than in Santa Cruz County: 52% since 2015–2019, against 32%.

The typical household income in Rio del Mar rose 53% over that time; home values changed +44% and rent +52%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureRio del MarSanta Cruz CountyCaliforniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.7%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.9%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate7.3%8.2%3.4%
People per household 2.422.582.842.53
Drive alone 61%62%66%69%
Carpool 7%8%10%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate6%3%3%
Work from home 30%19%17%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.42 on average, against 2.58 in Santa Cruz County.

Many people here do not commute at all: 30% work from home; in Santa Cruz County, 19%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Rio del Mar?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Rio del Mar, worth $1,338,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 82% of the typical household income in Rio del Mar, which is $159,929 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $470,042 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for Santa Cruz County ($1,249,125), so FHA would not insure it; the payment is only a reference.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Santa Cruz County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Rio del Mar. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $46,834 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$10,968

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$1,313,863
Total interest
$1,890,341
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $22,597 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $3,732 a month

  • Tight

    $3,732 to $4,798 a month

  • Hard

    more than $4,798 a month

    Your payment · 82%

Compared with the typical household income in Rio del Mar ($159,929 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$10,968
Principal & interest$8,901
Property tax$703
Home insurance$558
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$807

This loan is over the FHA limit

You'd borrow $1,291,266, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Rio del Mar is $1,249,125. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.

You need at least $46,834 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

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.

The city and its county

Rio del Mar and Santa Cruz County

Rio del Mar is in Santa Cruz 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).

Rio del Mar's own numbers

Typical home value
$1,338,100
Typical monthly rent
$3,407
Typical yearly household income
$159,929
Households that own their home
75%
Effective property tax rate
0.63%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Santa Cruz County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$4,254
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+30%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
6.4%

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 Santa Cruz County.

Everything about Santa Cruz County

Buying

Buying a home in Rio del Mar

A typical home in Rio del Mar is worth $1,338,100: 30% above the county and 82% above California. With the typical household income in Rio del Mar ($159,929 a year), a typical home costs 8.4 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.

  • Rio del Mar 8.4 years
  • Santa Cruz 9.2 years
  • California 7.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Santa Cruz County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Santa Cruz County rose 61% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Santa Cruz County.

Period County California U.S.
Last year (2025) +0.3% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +30% +40% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +61% +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

Rio del Mar next to Santa Cruz 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
  • Rio del Mar $1,338,100
  • Santa Cruz $1,027,500
  • California $734,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Rio del Mar $3,407
  • Santa Cruz $2,264
  • California $2,036
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Rio del Mar $159,929
  • Santa Cruz $111,093
  • California $99,122
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Rio del Mar next to Santa Cruz County and California
Measure Rio del Mar Santa Cruz County California U.S.
Typical home value $1,338,100 $1,027,500 $734,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $3,407 $2,264 $2,036 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $159,929 $111,093 $99,122 $80,734
Households that own their home 75% 60% 56% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $8,403 $6,538 $5,124 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.63% 0.64% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 52% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Santa Cruz 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 Rio del Mar

For a typical $1,338,100 home in Rio del Mar, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Rio del Mar's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $10,968a month

    Above the FHA limit for Santa Cruz County ($1,249,125)
    Down payment
    $46,834
    Cash to close
    $86,977
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $807

  • Conventional, 5% down $10,507a month

    Above the conventional limit for Santa Cruz County ($1,249,125): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $66,905
    Cash to close
    $107,048
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $636

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $8,512a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $267,620
    Cash to close
    $307,763
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $9,749a month

    Down payment
    $200,715
    Cash to close
    $240,858
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is Conventional, 20% down, no PMI.

  • 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.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Rio del Mar and for Santa Cruz County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Rio del Mar

0.63%of the home’s value each year

$8,403 a year for the typical owner in Rio del Mar.

  • Rio del Mar 0.63%
  • Santa Cruz 0.64%
  • California 0.7%

What California publishes Homeowners' exemption (California State Board of Equalization (BOE))

Exemptions and deadlines in California

Flood risk in Santa Cruz County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Santa Cruz County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
6.4%
5,365
Of those, with NFIP insurance
33%
County California U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 6.4% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 33% 31% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Rio del Mar

Typical rent in Rio del Mar is $3,407 a month: 50% above the county. In Rio del Mar, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Santa Cruz County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($4,254 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $81.81 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Santa Cruz County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $3,230 $62.12 $129,200
1 bedroom $3,390 $65.19 $135,600
2 bedrooms $4,254 $81.81 $170,160
3 bedrooms $5,531 $106.37 $221,240
4 bedrooms $5,748 $110.54 $229,920

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 Rio del Mar

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Rio del Mar is in ZIP code 95003.

For 2 bedrooms it is $4,920: $666 more than the fair market rent for Santa Cruz County ($4,254).

  • 95003 $4,920$6,400

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Rio del Mar 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 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Rio del Mar

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.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Santa Cruz County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Rio del Mar

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Rio del Mar or Santa Cruz County. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Rio del Mar the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in California

  • MyHome Assistance Program

    Statewide in California

    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).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • California Dream For All Shared Appreciation Loan

    Statewide in California

    Closed, per the source

    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).

    Shared appreciation

    See the program Official page

  • MyAccess Program

    Statewide in California

    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).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Rio del Mar

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Rio del Mar, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Santa Clara County Asian Law Alliance

    991 W Hedding St, San Jose · 27 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • Homelessness services
    • and 2 more
    (408) 287-9710

  • Project Sentinel

    1490 El Camino Real, Santa Clara · 28 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 5 more
    (408) 470-3730

  • Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley - Milpitas

    1608 Las Plumas Ave, San Jose · 28 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (510) 803-3362

All counseling agencies in California

Help in Spanish near Rio del Mar

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Rio del Mar

HUD’s record names them for Rio del Mar or Santa Cruz County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the County of Santa Cruz Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (831) 454-9455

All housing agencies in California Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Santa Cruz County

These cities are also in Santa Cruz County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Santa Cruz County Housing in California

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Rio del Mar, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Santa Cruz County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Rio del Mar.

All guides
A mother holds hands with her two daughters on the beach at sunset.

Questions

Housing questions about Rio del Mar

Short answers with the numbers for Rio del Mar and all of Santa Cruz 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 Rio del Mar?

The typical home value in Rio del Mar is $1,338,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Santa Cruz County it is $1,027,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Rio del Mar?

Typical rent in Rio del Mar is $3,407 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Santa Cruz County is $4,254.

What is the FHA loan limit in Rio del Mar?

Rio del Mar uses the FHA limit for all of Santa Cruz County (2026): $1,249,125 for a one-unit home and $2,402,625 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Rio del Mar?

The typical homeowner in Rio del Mar pays $8,403 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.63% of the home’s value; in Santa Cruz County, the rate is 0.64%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Rio del Mar?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Santa Cruz County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).