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City · 91,169 residents · Los Angeles County, California

Santa Monica , California

In Santa Monica, a typical home is worth $1,755,500 and typical rent is $2,402 a month. Compared with all of Los Angeles County, the typical home value is 110% higher, typical household income is 27% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 18 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $1,755,500

    110% above the county

    139% above California

    • Santa Monica
    • Los Angeles
    • California

  • Typical rent

    $2,402a month

    23% above the county

    18% above California

    • Santa Monica
    • Los Angeles
    • California

  • Typical household income

    $114,885a year

    27% above the county

    16% above California

    • Santa Monica
    • Los Angeles
    • California

  • Households that own their home

    28%

    18 points below the county

    28 points below California

    • Santa Monica
    • Los Angeles
    • California

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$1,657,936
1.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$3,516 a month
1.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Santa Monica is in Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Santa Monica apart

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

  1. The typical home in Santa Monica is worth $1,755,500, 110% more than in Los Angeles County as a whole ($834,200).

  2. Nearby, in Marina del Rey, the typical home value is $458,800: 74% less than in Santa Monica ($1,755,500).

  3. Santa Monica has the 14th lowest homeownership rate of the 652 cities in California with more than 5,000 people (28%).

  4. The typical household income in Santa Monica is $114,885, 27% more than in Los Angeles County as a whole ($90,112).

  5. Nearby, in Los Angeles, the typical rent is $1,933: 20% less than in Santa Monica ($2,402).

  6. The typical rent in Santa Monica is $2,402 a month, 23% more than in Los Angeles County as a whole ($1,954).

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

The homes here

Housing in Santa Monica

What homes there are in Santa Monica, 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

In Santa Monica, the apartment is the most common kind of home: 66%, against 36% in Los Angeles County.

Year built

By age, homes in Santa Monica look like those in Los Angeles County: the typical year built is 1968.

In Santa Monica, 43% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 22% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 44% in Los Angeles County.

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

About 67% of rented homes in Santa Monica cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Los Angeles County ($2,964).

Without a mortgage

$1,471 a month

Los Angeles County: $843 a month

Owners with a mortgage

62%

Los Angeles County: 68%

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 Santa Monica rose 27%; in Los Angeles County, it rose 43%.

Much as in Los Angeles County, the typical rent in Santa Monica rose 33% since 2015–2019.

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Santa Monica: typical income rose 19%, against +27% for home values and +33% for rent.

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

MeasureSanta MonicaLos Angeles CountyCaliforniaUnited States
Rental vacancy 7.9%4.0%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.7%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.6%10.9%8.2%3.4%
People per household 1.882.812.842.53
Drive alone 47%65%66%69%
Carpool 3%9%10%9%
Public transit 2%4%3%3%
Walk or bike 7%3%3%3%
Work from home 38%17%17%15%
Other means 3%2%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

There is more rental housing open in Santa Monica: 7.9% is empty and offered for rent, against 4.0% in Los Angeles County.

Fewer households are short on space in Santa Monica: 2.6% have more than one person per room; in Los Angeles County, 10.9%.

Households in Santa Monica are smaller: 1.88 people on average; in Los Angeles County, 2.81.

Many people here do not commute at all: 38% work from home; in Los Angeles County, 17%.

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 Santa Monica?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Santa Monica, worth $1,755,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 149% of the typical household income in Santa Monica, which is $114,885 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $612,903 a year. Note: at that price the loan is above the FHA limit for Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Santa Monica. 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 $61,443 (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

$14,301

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$1,723,703
Total interest
$2,480,004
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $29,646 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,681 a month

  • Tight

    $2,681 to $3,447 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,447 a month

    Your payment · 149%

Compared with the typical household income in Santa Monica ($114,885 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$14,301
Principal & interest$11,677
Property tax$834
Home insurance$732
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$1,059

This loan is over the FHA limit

You'd borrow $1,694,057, but the FHA limit for a one-unit home in Santa Monica is $1,249,125. You'd need a bigger down payment or a different loan.

You need at least $61,443 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

Santa Monica and Los Angeles County

Santa Monica is in Los Angeles 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).

Santa Monica's own numbers

Typical home value
$1,755,500
Typical monthly rent
$2,402
Typical yearly household income
$114,885
Households that own their home
28%
Effective property tax rate
0.57%

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

Numbers for all of Los Angeles County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,249,125
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,964
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+43%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.5%

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 Los Angeles County.

Everything about Los Angeles County

Buying

Buying a home in Santa Monica

A typical home in Santa Monica is worth $1,755,500: 110% above the county and 139% above California. With the typical household income in Santa Monica ($114,885 a year), a typical home costs 15.3 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.

  • Santa Monica 15.3 years
  • Los Angeles 9.3 years
  • California 7.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Los Angeles County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Los Angeles County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County California U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.7% +0.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +43% +40% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +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

Santa Monica next to Los Angeles 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
  • Santa Monica $1,755,500
  • Los Angeles $834,200
  • California $734,700
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Santa Monica $2,402
  • Los Angeles $1,954
  • California $2,036
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Santa Monica $114,885
  • Los Angeles $90,112
  • California $99,122
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Santa Monica next to Los Angeles County and California
Measure Santa Monica Los Angeles County California U.S.
Typical home value $1,755,500 $834,200 $734,700 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,402 $1,954 $2,036 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $114,885 $90,112 $99,122 $80,734
Households that own their home 28% 46% 56% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $10,001 $5,675 $5,124 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.57% 0.68% 0.7% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 45% 58% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Los Angeles 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 Santa Monica

For a typical $1,755,500 home in Santa Monica, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Santa Monica's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $14,301a month

    Above the FHA limit for Los Angeles County ($1,249,125)
    Down payment
    $61,443
    Cash to close
    $114,108
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $1,059

  • Conventional, 5% down $13,697a month

    Above the conventional limit for Los Angeles County ($1,249,125): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $87,775
    Cash to close
    $140,440
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $834

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $11,079a month

    Above the conventional limit for Los Angeles County ($1,249,125): it would be a "jumbo" loan
    Down payment
    $351,100
    Cash to close
    $403,765
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $12,702a month

    Down payment
    $263,325
    Cash to close
    $315,990
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None
  • 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 Santa Monica and for Los Angeles County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Santa Monica

0.57%of the home’s value each year

$10,001 a year for the typical owner in Santa Monica.

  • Santa Monica 0.57%
  • Los Angeles 0.68%
  • California 0.7%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in California

Flood risk in Los Angeles County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.5%
11,989
Of those, with NFIP insurance
33%
County California U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.5% 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 Santa Monica

Typical rent in Santa Monica is $2,402 a month: 23% above the county. In Santa Monica, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Los Angeles County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,964 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $57.00 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Los Angeles 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 $2,151 $41.37 $86,040
1 bedroom $2,402 $46.19 $96,080
2 bedrooms $2,964 $57.00 $118,560
3 bedrooms $3,760 $72.31 $150,400
4 bedrooms $4,208 $80.92 $168,320

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 Santa Monica

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Santa Monica has 5 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $3,550 in 90404 to $4,250 in 90403.

5 of the 5 are above the fair market rent for Los Angeles County ($2,964).

  • 90401 $4,160$5,280
  • 90402 $3,950$5,010
  • 90403 $4,250$5,390
  • 90404 $3,550$4,500
  • 90405 $3,840$4,870

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Santa Monica 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?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Santa Monica

HUD lists 3 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Santa Monica. These are the largest.

  • Belmar Apts 1725 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica 90401 160 homes, 158 low-income · Studio: 10 · 1 bd: 28 · 2 bd: 56 · 3 bd: 66 · In service since 2014 · For families
  • Westminster Towers 1112 7th St, Santa Monica 90403 285 homes, 128 low-income · For older adults (310) 393-1222
  • Geneva Plaza 1441 21st St, Santa Monica 90404 100 low-income homes · For older adults (310) 829-9833

See all 1,535 buildings in Los Angeles County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Santa Monica

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 17 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Los Angeles County; 13 say they serve in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Santa Monica

1 program is for Santa Monica or Los Angeles County, by its own record: they come first, each with what its official page says about being open. The ones below are statewide in California: they work in Santa Monica the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in California

Housing counselors near Santa Monica

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

  • Money Management International, Los Angeles

    6080 Center Dr Fl 6, Los Angeles · 7 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (866) 232-9080

  • The American Dream Grant Program

    5901 W Century Blvd Ste 750, Los Angeles · 8 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (310) 692-1380

  • Nid-Hca Reeves

    4602 Crenshaw Blvd Ste 2A, Los Angeles · 10 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (323) 299-4067

Every agency in Los Angeles County All counseling agencies in California

Help in Spanish near Santa Monica

3 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 Santa Monica

HUD’s record names them for Santa Monica or Los Angeles County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Santa Monica Section 8 vouchers (310) 458-2201
  • Los Angeles County Development Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (626) 586-1500

18 other authorities have an office in Los Angeles County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Los Angeles County

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

Everything about Los Angeles County Housing in California
See 108 more cities in Los Angeles County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Santa Monica, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Los Angeles 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 Santa Monica.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Santa Monica

Short answers with the numbers for Santa Monica and all of Los Angeles 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 Santa Monica?

The typical home value in Santa Monica is $1,755,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Los Angeles County it is $834,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Santa Monica?

Typical rent in Santa Monica is $2,402 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Los Angeles County is $2,964.

What is the FHA loan limit in Santa Monica?

Santa Monica uses the FHA limit for all of Los Angeles 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 Santa Monica?

The typical homeowner in Santa Monica pays $10,001 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.57% of the home’s value; in Los Angeles County, the rate is 0.68%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Santa Monica?

There are 17 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Los Angeles County. 13 say they serve in Spanish. 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).