States › California › Paradise

Is Paradise, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,22430% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$73,000about $6,083/month · 16% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$416,00025% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 74% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.7 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $48,960 a year. That is $24 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 33 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Paradise
$1,224
Franklin
$1,483
Magalia
$1,567
Garnet
$2,022
Cottonwood
$1,475
Alta Sierra
$2,390
Sebastopol
$2,017

How much do households earn in Paradise?

Under $25k
17.7%
$25k–50k
18.7%
$50k–100k
31.8%
$100k–150k
12.5%
$150k+
7.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 19.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Paradise

SizeParadiseU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,223$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,622$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,770$1,698

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

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

Taxes and bills in Paradise

🏛️ Property tax$2,855a year · 0.69% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$182a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Paradise

Commute to work24.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree31.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home74.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line18.2%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Paradise?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,662 a month less.

Renting
$1,224
Owning
$2,886

Owning assumes a typical $416,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $41,600 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Paradise, CA?

Renting in Paradise costs a median of about $1,224 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $48,960 a year, or $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Paradise cheap or expensive?

Paradise is rated OK: rent takes 20.1% of the typical household income of $73,000. It ranks 33rd cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Paradise?

The median homeowner in Paradise pays $2,855 a year in property taxes, about 0.69% of the median home value.

Is Paradise 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 Paradise?

The median home value in Paradise is $416,000, about 5.7 times the typical yearly household income.

7,392 people live in Paradise. Numbers are typical (middle) values.