States › California › Lemon Grove

Is Lemon Grove, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 29 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,28230% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$94,918about $7,910/month · 9% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$705,400112% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 79% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 7.4 years of household income, so buying is hard for most locals.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $91,280 a year. That is $44 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 304 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Lemon Grove
$2,282
Walnut
$3,446
Twentynine Palms
$1,805
Belmont
$2,845
Brawley
$1,196
Ridgecrest
$1,517
Lemoore
$2,026

How much do households earn in Lemon Grove?

Under $25k
11.8%
$25k–50k
15.8%
$50k–100k
38.5%
$100k–150k
19.3%
$150k+
12.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 31.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Lemon Grove

SizeLemon GroveU.S. average
Studio$1,287$1,338
1 bedroom$1,462$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,047$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,899$1,698
4 bedrooms$3,500+$2,098

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

How expensive is Lemon Grove 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 Lemon Grove, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Lemon Grove

🏛️ Property tax$4,752a year · 0.67% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$135a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Lemon Grove

Commute to work29.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree20.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home52.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line9.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lemon Grove?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $2,612 a month less.

Renting
$2,282
Owning
$4,894

Owning assumes a typical $705,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $70,540 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Lemon Grove, CA?

Renting in Lemon Grove costs a median of about $2,282 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Lemon Grove?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $91,280 a year, or $44 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Lemon Grove cheap or expensive?

Lemon Grove is rated OK: rent takes 28.9% of the typical household income of $94,918. It ranks 304th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Lemon Grove?

The median homeowner in Lemon Grove pays $4,752 a year in property taxes, about 0.67% of the median home value.

Is Lemon Grove 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 Lemon Grove?

The median home value in Lemon Grove is $705,400, about 7.4 times the typical yearly household income.

27,686 people live in Lemon Grove. Numbers are typical (middle) values.