States › California › McKinleyville

Is McKinleyville, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,49215% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$79,083about $6,590/month · 9% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$457,60038% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 58% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.8 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $59,680 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 82 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

McKinleyville
$1,492
Truckee
$2,234
Coalinga
$1,191
Laguna Woods
$2,907
Live Oak
$3,500+
South San Jose Hills
$1,998
Woodcrest
$3,084

How much do households earn in McKinleyville?

Under $25k
14.3%
$25k–50k
24.7%
$50k–100k
34.6%
$100k–150k
15.7%
$150k+
8.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 24.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in McKinleyville

SizeMcKinleyvilleU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,051$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,649$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,098$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,595$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in McKinleyville

🏛️ Property tax$2,812a year · 0.61% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$169a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in McKinleyville

Commute to work21 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree38.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home62.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line14.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in McKinleyville?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,683 a month less.

Renting
$1,492
Owning
$3,175

Owning assumes a typical $457,600 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $45,760 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in McKinleyville, CA?

Renting in McKinleyville costs a median of about $1,492 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $59,680 a year, or $29 an hour at a full-time job.

Is McKinleyville cheap or expensive?

McKinleyville is rated OK: rent takes 22.6% of the typical household income of $79,083. It ranks 82nd cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in McKinleyville?

The median homeowner in McKinleyville pays $2,812 a year in property taxes, about 0.61% of the median home value.

Is McKinleyville 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 McKinleyville?

The median home value in McKinleyville is $457,600, about 5.8 times the typical yearly household income.

17,113 people live in McKinleyville. Numbers are typical (middle) values.