California · 112th largest metro area

Buying a home in Santa Rosa, California

In Santa Rosa, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $713,900, Sonoma County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $8,113 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $2,152 a month.

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

Santa Rosa home costs, fact by fact

About Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa, California, is a city with 177,524 residents, and it lies in the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area, ranked 112th in the country. Sonoma County has an effective property tax rate (median tax as a share of home value) of 0.7%, and 56.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

Reading the Santa Rosa figures

Santa Rosa lands slightly under the California median of $770,700, with owners placing its median home at $713,900. Santa Ana and Escondido are almost level with it, priced at $713,000 and $714,500, whereas Corona and Tracy are a little lower. Santa Clarita, West Covina and Oceanside sit above, and Los Angeles reaches $921,200. These are owners' own estimates rather than recorded sales.

The rent angle gives a second reading. Renters pay $2,152 a month at the median, more than in Richmond ($1,960), Escondido or Santa Ana, yet less than in Corona, Chula Vista or Tracy, whose medians run from $2,228 to $2,478. Santa Clarita is highest of those named, with $2,544. HUD publishes $2,819 as the base rent for the Santa Rosa-Petaluma zone and $3,903 for larger homes. Because the zone is wider than the city, the base figure runs above the city's median, so it is a guide to the top of the rental range.

Tenure falls in the middle of the field. About 56.7% of households own. Temecula, Tracy and Corona come in higher, between 63.8% and 68%; Richmond and Escondido come in just lower, at 54.7% and 53.4%; Santa Ana, El Cajon and Los Angeles sit far lower, between 36% and 44.6%. In practice that points to a market with a genuine mix of owners and renters.

Sonoma County sets the tax side. With a 0.7% levy and county homes valued at $815,500, the annual payment comes to $5,695. The county's valuation is higher than the city's own, so for a typical Santa Rosa purchase the payment would be expected to land under that figure.

Financing shows the widest spread. In 2025, the county's 2,756 loans carried median charges of $8,113, with the middle range between $6,239 and $13,473. The gap between the low and high ends suggests buyers should compare loan terms closely.

Population stands at 177,524, and the metro area (485,375) ranks 112th in the country. Rancho Cucamonga, with 176,675, is almost the same size, with a rent of $2,357 and 62.3% of households owning, while Chula Vista, with 278,546 residents, has a median value of $758,700 and rent of $2,229.

A last way to read the figures: the HUD base figure of $2,819, the county payment of $5,695 and the loan spread all push the monthly picture above the headline rent of $2,152, so a household weighing a purchase should compare all of them rather than the median home value alone. Next to Santa Clarita, valued at $784,700 with a rent of $2,544, Santa Rosa is lower on both counts, and next to Los Angeles, valued at $921,200 with a rent of $1,933, it is lower on value but higher on rent.

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 Santa Rosa

How much is property tax in Santa Rosa?

Homeowners in Sonoma County pay a median $5,695 a year in property tax, 0.7% of the county median home value of $815,500 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in Santa Rosa?

Home-purchase mortgages in Sonoma County carried median total loan costs of $8,113 in 2025; half of the 2,756 loans fell between $6,239 and $13,473 (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 Santa Rosa?

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 Santa Rosa?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in Santa Rosa ($713,900) equals 27.6 years of the median gross rent ($2,152 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

What natural hazards affect home insurance in Santa Rosa?

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 Santa Rosa

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Sources

California · All states · Federal guides