States › California › Madera

Is Madera, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 29 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,6496% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$68,952about $5,746/month · 21% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$359,9008% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 50% 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 $65,960 a year. That is $32 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 119 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Madera
$1,649
Lodi
$2,268
Union City
$2,812
Palo Alto
$3,500+
Yorba Linda
$3,500+
Davis
$2,410
Redondo Beach
$3,212

How much do households earn in Madera?

Under $25k
17.7%
$25k–50k
23.6%
$50k–100k
34.3%
$100k–150k
13.4%
$150k+
4.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 18.4% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Madera

SizeMaderaU.S. average
Studio$1,403$1,338
1 bedroom$965$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,278$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,651$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,927$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in Madera

🏛️ Property tax$2,295a year · 0.64% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$197a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Madera

Commute to work25.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree10.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home54.7%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line25.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment12.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Madera?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $848 a month less.

Renting
$1,649
Owning
$2,497

Owning assumes a typical $359,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $35,990 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Madera, CA?

Renting in Madera costs a median of about $1,649 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $65,960 a year, or $32 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Madera cheap or expensive?

Madera is rated OK: rent takes 28.7% of the typical household income of $68,952. It ranks 119th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Madera?

The median homeowner in Madera pays $2,295 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of the median home value.

Is Madera 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 Madera?

The median home value in Madera is $359,900, about 5.2 times the typical yearly household income.

67,831 people live in Madera. Numbers are typical (middle) values.