How expensive is Huntington Beach?
Housing is what makes Huntington Beach expensive. Zillow's typical home value in the city was $1,344,725 in September 2026, 14.5% above the Orange County figure of $1,174,873, and Zillow's observed rent was $3,105 a month. Everyday costs such as food, transport and health care are set at the county level and are much the same as in neighboring Orange County cities.
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020-2024) puts the city's median household income at $120,919, and 55% of occupied homes are owner-occupied. MIT's Living Wage Calculator for Orange County estimates that a single adult with no children needs $75,982 a year before tax to cover basic costs, and a two-earner household with two children needs $163,593. A household buying a typical home today needs far more than either figure, as the housing section shows.
Housing costs in Huntington Beach
Buying a home in Huntington Beach
At Zillow's typical value of $1,344,725, a buyer with 20% down ($268,945) borrows $1,075,780. At Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026), principal and interest come to about $7,331 a month. Redfin's median sale price, $1,399,334 for the three months to September 2026, puts the payment closer to $7,629. Condos cost far less: Redfin's condo median ran from $512,485 in 92647 to $896,973 in 92648. See our Huntington Beach condo guide.
Renting in Huntington Beach
Zillow's observed rent for Huntington Beach was $3,105 a month in September 2026, up 4.0% in a year and 22.8% in five years. The Census median gross rent, which includes older leases and utilities, was $2,510 (ACS 2020-2024). At Zillow's figure, rent is $37,260 a year, which needs an income of about $124,200 if you hold rent to 30% of gross pay.
Property tax in Huntington Beach
Orange County's 2026-27 rate book lists Huntington Beach rate area 04-009 at 1.09311% of assessed value. That is the 1% base levy plus the city's 1966 employee retirement override (0.015%), school bonds and the Metropolitan Water District charge. On a $1,344,725 purchase, less the $7,000 homeowners' exemption, the bill is about $14,623 a year, or $1,219 a month. Rate areas differ across the city, so check the bill for the parcel. Our Orange County property tax guide explains each line.
Homeowners insurance in Huntington Beach
Premiums depend on the home's age, roof, distance from the coast and claims history, so get two quotes for the specific address before you remove contingencies. Homes in a FEMA flood zone with a federally backed loan also need flood insurance, which matters most in Huntington Harbour and Sunset Beach. See our California homeowners insurance guide and earthquake insurance guide.
HOA dues and Mello-Roos in Huntington Beach
Many townhome, condo and gated tracts charge monthly HOA dues. Listed fees in several condo complexes run from about $450 to $660 a month, and Ocean Colony, a gated single-family tract, lists $350. Harbour units with docks may pay a second fee for the slip. Ask the seller for the latest tax bill, which shows any special assessments or Mello-Roos taxes. Our Mello-Roos guide explains how they work.
Everyday costs in Huntington Beach
Utilities in Huntington Beach
The City of Huntington Beach supplies water and sewer service. From August 15, 2026, the city charges $22.94 a month for a standard three-quarter-inch residential meter, a $4.24 monthly capital charge, and a commodity rate of $3.5494 per billing unit of water, plus a separate sewer service charge. A home using 12 units a month pays about $69.77 for water before sewer. Check your bill for the unit and the sewer line. Residential trash and recycling carts are emptied weekly by the city's contracted hauler, Republic Services; Sunset Beach has its own sanitary district. Electricity and gas come from regional utilities rather than the city, so ask the seller for 12 months of electric and gas bills, which name the providers and show what a year really costs.
Groceries in Huntington Beach
MIT puts the yearly food budget in Orange County at $4,627 for a single adult and $13,541 for two adults with two children. Huntington Beach's sales tax does not apply to most groceries, since California exempts most food for home use.
Transportation in Huntington Beach
MIT estimates $9,204 a year in transport costs for a single adult in Orange County and $15,438 for a two-earner household with two children. The average one-way commute for Huntington Beach workers was 28.4 minutes (ACS 2020-2024).
Health care and child care in Huntington Beach
MIT puts yearly medical costs at $3,241 for a single adult and $11,130 for a household of two working adults and two children in Orange County. Child care is the biggest cost for parents: $16,830 a year for one child and $31,996 for two.
Internet and phone in Huntington Beach
MIT budgets $1,501 a year for internet and mobile phone for a single adult in Orange County and $2,124 for a two-adult household. Check which home internet providers serve the address before you buy or sign a lease.
Taxes in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach's sales tax rate is 7.75%, the same as the rate for Orange County as a whole, so the city adds no district tax of its own (CDTFA, rates effective October 1, 2026). That is lower than in Fountain Valley (8.75%), Westminster and Seal Beach (9.25%), or Long Beach (11.00%). California has a graduated state income tax and no city income tax. Property tax is covered above. When you sell, Orange County's documentary transfer tax is $1.10 per $1,000 of price; see our California transfer tax guide.
Salary needed to live in Huntington Beach
MIT's Living Wage Calculator gives the pre-tax income needed to cover basic costs in Orange County, assuming full-time work. It counts rent at the fair market rent level, not a home purchase.
| Household | Hourly living wage | Pre-tax income needed per year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult, no children | $36.53 | $75,982 |
| 1 adult, 1 child | $59.57 | $123,909 |
| 2 adults (1 working), no children | $43.69 | $90,874 |
| 2 adults (both working), 1 child | $31.89 each | $132,655 |
| 2 adults (both working), 2 children | $39.33 each | $163,593 |
To buy, the math is different. Principal, interest and property tax on a typical $1,344,725 home come to about $8,550 a month, or $102,600 a year. Keeping that to 30% of gross income takes about $342,000 a year, before insurance and any HOA. That gap is why many buyers here use equity from a previous home or buy a condo.
Huntington Beach cost of living vs nearby cities
The table compares the same measures for each city: Zillow's typical home value and observed rent for September 2026, the Census median household income (ACS 2020-2024), and the CDTFA sales tax rate effective October 1, 2026.
| City | Zillow typical home value | Zillow observed rent | Median household income | Sales tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington Beach | $1,344,725 | $3,105 | $120,919 | 7.75% |
| Fountain Valley | $1,377,121 | $2,998 | $115,237 | 8.75% |
| Costa Mesa | $1,419,109 | $3,121 | $111,505 | 7.75% |
| Westminster | $1,093,355 | $2,851 | $85,541 | 9.25% |
| Seal Beach | $838,369 | $2,935 | $85,964 | 9.25% |
| Newport Beach | $3,710,827 | $4,364 | $156,867 | 7.75% |
Huntington Beach sits in the middle of the coastal group: about the same as Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa, well below Newport Beach, and above Westminster. For prices across the county, see our best places to live in Orange County guide and the California cost of living guide.
Ways to lower your costs in Huntington Beach
- Compare ZIPs. Zillow's typical value in 92647 was $1,234,059, about $300,000 less than 92648 at $1,534,670. See our Huntington Beach ZIP codes page.
- Consider a condo or townhome. Condo medians of $512,485 to $896,973 by ZIP (Redfin) cut the payment by more than half, though HOA dues add back part of the saving.
- File the homeowners' exemption. It takes $7,000 off the assessed value, about $77 a year in rate area 04-009. File with the Orange County Assessor after you move in.
- Use Prop 19 if you qualify. Owners 55 and over, or severely disabled, can carry their assessed value to a new home anywhere in California. See our Prop 19 guide.
- Shop insurance. Get several quotes and ask about roof and security discounts.
- Look at first-time buyer help. Our California first-time homebuyer guide lists state programs.