States › California › La Cresta

Is La Cresta, CA expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 34 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,50714% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$53,499about $4,458/month · 39% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$262,00021% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 57% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.9 years of household income. Most households rent (57%), so there are plenty of rental options.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $60,280 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 86 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

La Cresta
$1,507
$1,407
$1,551
$1,215

How much do households earn in La Cresta?

Under $25k
18.9%
$25k–50k
31.5%
$50k–100k
27.3%
$100k–150k
10.8%
$150k+
4.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 15.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in La Cresta

SizeLa CrestaU.S. average
Studio$630$1,338
1 bedroom$1,071$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,322$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,458$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,279$2,098

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

How expensive is La Cresta 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 La Cresta, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in La Cresta

🏛️ Property tax$2,445a year · 0.93% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$201a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in La Cresta

Commute to work22.5 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree16.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home43%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line20.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Cresta?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $311 a month less.

Renting
$1,507
Owning
$1,818

Owning assumes a typical $262,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $26,200 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in La Cresta, CA?

Renting in La Cresta costs a median of about $1,507 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in La Cresta?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $60,280 a year, or $29 an hour at a full-time job.

Is La Cresta cheap or expensive?

La Cresta is rated Expensive: rent takes 33.8% of the typical household income of $53,499. It ranks 86th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in La Cresta?

The median homeowner in La Cresta pays $2,445 a year in property taxes, about 0.93% of the median home value.

Is La Cresta 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 La Cresta?

The median home value in La Cresta is $262,000, about 4.9 times the typical yearly household income.

8,389 people live in La Cresta. Numbers are typical (middle) values.