States › California › Chowchilla

Is Chowchilla, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,44917% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$71,735about $5,978/month · 18% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$364,0009% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 61% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.1 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $57,960 a year. That is $28 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 71 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Chowchilla
$1,449
Coronado
$3,500+
Hermosa Beach
$3,269
Rosedale
$1,736
Santa Fe Springs
$2,156
Pinole
$1,964
Mead Valley
$2,317

How much do households earn in Chowchilla?

Under $25k
15.5%
$25k–50k
19.3%
$50k–100k
36.2%
$100k–150k
13.4%
$150k+
6.1%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Chowchilla

SizeChowchillaU.S. average
Studio$1,158$1,338
1 bedroom$486$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,205$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,416$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,711$2,098

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

How expensive is Chowchilla 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 Chowchilla, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Chowchilla

🏛️ Property tax$3,064a year · 0.84% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$182a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Chowchilla

Commute to work25.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree15.6%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home57.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line19.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment10.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chowchilla?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,077 a month less.

Renting
$1,449
Owning
$2,526

Owning assumes a typical $364,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $36,400 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Chowchilla, CA?

Renting in Chowchilla costs a median of about $1,449 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $57,960 a year, or $28 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Chowchilla cheap or expensive?

Chowchilla is rated OK: rent takes 24.2% of the typical household income of $71,735. It ranks 71st cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Chowchilla?

The median homeowner in Chowchilla pays $3,064 a year in property taxes, about 0.84% of the median home value.

Is Chowchilla 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 Chowchilla?

The median home value in Chowchilla is $364,000, about 5.1 times the typical yearly household income.

19,020 people live in Chowchilla. Numbers are typical (middle) values.