California · 250th largest metro area

Buying a home in Redding, California

In Redding, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $382,300, Shasta County's effective property tax rate is 0.69%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $8,644 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,379 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2020-2024, Census Vintage 2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

Redding home costs, fact by fact

About Redding

Redding gives the Redding, CA metro area part of its name; the area ranks 250th in the United States. Median gross rent is $1,379 a month, and 54.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Reading the Redding figures

Redding's owner-estimated median value of $382,300 is far below the California statewide median of $770,700. Los Angeles reports $921,200, and Citrus Heights shows $454,600. Fresno comes in just beneath Redding, with $374,800, and Visalia lower, with $371,500. These figures are owners' estimates, not sale prices, so they describe how residents value their homes rather than recent transactions.

Rent is low in the same way. Median gross rent of $1,379 is lower than the $1,933 in Los Angeles, the $1,618 in Victorville, and the $1,590 in Hesperia. HUD's Fair Market Rent for a mid-sized apartment in the Redding area is $1,581 and its larger-unit figure is $2,189. These are federal benchmarks rather than market medians, and that benchmark lies above the local median gross rent, which covers all unit sizes. A renter comparing both figures should remember that they measure different things.

Ownership is moderate. Some 54.8% of homes are owner-occupied, below Visalia's 61.1% and Bakersfield's 60.6%, and above Merced's 45.9% and Los Angeles' 36%. Hesperia shows 67.2%, so owner shares vary widely across the covered cities, and Redding sits in the lower middle of those named here.

County costs follow. Owners in Shasta County pay $2,542 toward property tax every year, an effective rate of 0.69% on the typical county home, valued at $366,400. Redding's own estimate is above that county median, so a typical home bought in the city may carry a bill above the county figure. The low dollar amount follows from low home values rather than from an unusual rate.

Loan costs are the last part. The 1,407 purchase loans counted in the county for 2025 are a small sample next to the larger California counties; borrowers paid fees and points of $8,644 at the middle. The central band ran from $5,098 to $12,989. A buyer should read the spread as a sign that lender choice and loan size change closing costs a lot, and should ask for written estimates.

Further comparisons clarify the range. Bakersfield reports an owner-estimated $371,700 and a median gross rent of $1,472, Merced $372,600 and $1,393, and Victorville $385,600 and $1,618. Redding's value is close to theirs, and its rent of $1,379 is lower than each of theirs. A buyer weighing renting against owning should note that, among those cities, Redding combines a mid-range value with the lowest rent named here, so the gap between a monthly rent and a mortgage payment may be wider than elsewhere, a point worth checking with actual quotes.

Overall, the figures describe a city with values far below the state level, low rents, a moderate owner share and a wide spread of loan costs.

Calculate for California

If you buy

California state transfer tax

California has no state transfer tax; counties and cities may charge one.

Price$770,700
State transfer taxnot computed
Who paysSet by the purchase contract

Default price: the California median value of owner-occupied homes, $770,700 (Census ACS 2025). Not computed: No state tax. The tax is set by county and city, so it cannot be computed from the state alone. Who pays: Neither the state statute nor the City of Los Angeles FAQ assigns the tax; the purchase contract and escrow instructions decide. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. California transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: California state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Questions about buying a home in Redding

How much is property tax in Redding?

Homeowners in Shasta County pay a median $2,542 a year in property tax, 0.69% of the county median home value of $366,400 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Redding?

Home-purchase mortgages in Shasta County carried median total loan costs of $8,644 in 2025; half of the 1,407 loans fell between $5,098 and $12,989 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in Redding?

California has no state transfer tax. Counties may charge $0.55 per $500 of value under the Documentary Transfer Tax Act, and cities such as Los Angeles add their own, with Measure ULA adding 4% or 5.5% on very high-priced sales.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Redding?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Redding ($382,300) equals 23.1 years of the median gross rent ($1,379 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

What natural hazards affect home insurance in Redding?

Across California, the main hazards for home insurance are earthquake, wildfire, flood and landslide, and the insurer of last resort is California FAIR Plan. A standard California homeowners policy does not cover earthquake damage; insurers must offer earthquake coverage (Insurance Code 10081), and the FAIR Plan sells limited fire coverage up to $3 million for residential policyholders.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

California rules that apply in Redding

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Sources

California · All states · Federal guides