States › California › Atwater

Is Atwater, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 26 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,51913% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$69,533about $5,794/month · 20% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$363,4009% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 57% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.2 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $60,760 a year. That is $29 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of California. It is number 93 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Atwater
$1,519
Fallbrook
$1,917
Spring Valley
$1,974
Bell
$1,833
Seaside
$3,091
San Pablo
$2,355
Goleta
$3,590

How much do households earn in Atwater?

Under $25k
17.7%
$25k–50k
24.8%
$50k–100k
34.1%
$100k–150k
15.6%
$150k+
3.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.1% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Atwater

SizeAtwaterU.S. average
Studio$1,153$1,338
1 bedroom$1,002$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,230$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,594$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,026$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Atwater overall?

Everyday prices in California overall are 11% above the U.S. average (index 110.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
154
Goods (food, clothes…)
106
Utilities
159
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Atwater, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Atwater

🏛️ Property tax$2,407a year · 0.66% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$185a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Atwater

Commute to work28.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree12.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home52.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line21%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment12.3%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Atwater?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,002 a month less.

Renting
$1,519
Owning
$2,521

Owning assumes a typical $363,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $36,340 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Atwater, CA?

Renting in Atwater costs a median of about $1,519 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Atwater?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $60,760 a year, or $29 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Atwater cheap or expensive?

Atwater is rated OK: rent takes 26.2% of the typical household income of $69,533. It ranks 93rd cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Atwater?

The median homeowner in Atwater pays $2,407 a year in property taxes, about 0.66% of the median home value.

Is Atwater more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in California are 11% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Atwater?

The median home value in Atwater is $363,400, about 5.2 times the typical yearly household income.

32,162 people live in Atwater. Numbers are typical (middle) values.