How expensive is Redding?
Redding is one of the lower-cost cities in California for housing, but not cheap by national standards. Zillow's typical Redding home value was $385,253 in September 2026, about half the California typical value of $761,538. Zillow's typical rent was $1,647 a month. The Census puts Redding's median household income at $70,466 (ACS 2020-2024), against $99,122 for California as a whole.
The MIT Living Wage Calculator, updated February 15, 2026, estimates that a single adult with no children in Shasta County needs $24.54 an hour, or $51,052 a year before tax, to cover basic costs. For two working adults with two children, each adult needs $29.87 an hour, a household income of $124,278. Those figures assume renting; buying at today's prices costs more each month, as the housing section shows.
Housing costs in Redding
Housing is the largest cost and the one where Redding differs most from the rest of California.
Buying a home in Redding
Redfin's median sale price in Redding was $399,810 for the three months to September 2026. With 20% down ($79,962) at Freddie Mac's 7.24% 30-year rate (week of October 29, 2026), principal and interest come to about $2,180 a month. With 3.5% down on an FHA loan, the payment on a $385,817 loan is about $2,629 before mortgage insurance. Price per square foot was about $254 across the three Redding ZIP codes, so a 1,600-square-foot house costs roughly $406,000 at the median rate. See our Redding housing market report for the trend.
Renting in Redding
Zillow's typical rent for Redding was $1,647 in September 2026, up 4.1% in a year and 25.4% in five years. The Census median gross rent, which includes older leases and utilities paid by tenants, was $1,379 (ACS 2020-2024). Rent rose much faster than home values over the last five years, which narrows the gap between renting and owning.
Property tax in Redding
California's base rate is 1% of the purchase price, plus voter-approved school bonds. In Redding the bonds are small, so most bills land a little above 1% before fixed charges. On Redfin's $399,810 median, the 1% levy alone is about $3,998 a year, or $333 a month, and the $7,000 homeowners' exemption reduces that by about $70. Our Shasta County property tax guide gives the rate for each Redding school district area and the payment deadlines.
Homeowners insurance in Redding
Insurance is the cost that varies most by address. Homes next to open land at the edges of the city may be harder to insure with a standard carrier, and some owners end up with a California FAIR Plan policy plus a separate policy for the rest of the cover. Get quotes for the exact address before you make an offer. Our California homeowners insurance guide and FAIR Plan guide explain the options.
HOA dues and special taxes in Redding
Most Redding houses have no HOA. Condos and some planned subdivisions do: one recent listing for a townhouse-style condo on Bechelli Lane showed a $470 monthly HOA fee. Newer subdivisions may carry a Mello-Roos or assessment district charge on the tax bill; ask for the most recent bill before you buy and see our Mello-Roos guide.
Everyday costs in Redding
Inside city limits, one City of Redding utility bill covers electricity, water, sewer and garbage.
Utilities in Redding
Redding Electric Utility (REU) is owned by the city. Its residential rate, effective January 1, 2025, is a $40.00 monthly fixed charge plus $0.1492 per kWh. A home using 600 kWh in a mild month pays about $129.52; if air conditioning pushes a summer month to 1,000 kWh, the bill is about $189.20. REU has proposed no increase for 2026, then 6% in 2027 and 2028 and about 4% in 2029 and 2030; the City Council had not approved those as of October 2026, with a public hearing set for November 17, 2026. City water for a single-family home is a $31.66 monthly meter charge plus $2.13 per hundred cubic feet in 2026, so 15 units costs about $63.61. Sewer is a flat $73.58 a month for a single-family home in 2026, rising to $76.52 in 2027. Garbage rates are on the city's solid waste rate sheet; ask the seller for a recent bill. Natural gas, where a home has it, is billed separately.
Groceries in Redding
MIT's Living Wage Calculator puts a single adult's food cost in Shasta County at $4,568 a year, about $381 a month, and a two-adult, two-child household's at $13,370 a year. Those are basic-diet estimates, so treat them as a floor.
Transportation in Redding
Most trips in Redding are by car. MIT estimates transport costs of $9,685 a year for a single adult in Shasta County. The Census mean commute for Redding workers is 16.7 minutes, shorter than Sacramento's 25.3. The Redding Area Bus Authority (RABA) runs city routes and the Goldrunner bus to Sacramento.
Healthcare and child care in Redding
MIT estimates medical costs of $3,653 a year for a single adult and $11,794 for one adult with one child in Shasta County, and child care of $10,884 a year for one child and $23,691 for two. Child care is the biggest single cost for a working parent after housing.
Internet and phone in Redding
MIT's estimate for internet and mobile phone service is $1,672 a year for one adult and $2,295 for a two-adult household, about $139 to $191 a month. Check which providers serve a specific address before you buy, especially at the edge of town.
Taxes in Redding
Redding's sales tax rate is 7.25%, the California statewide base rate, because neither the city nor Shasta County adds a district tax. The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration lists that rate for Shasta County as of October 1, 2026; Anderson, a few miles south, is 7.75%, and the City of Sacramento 8.75%. On $10,000 a year of taxable purchases, the difference against Sacramento is about $150.
Property tax is covered above. California state income tax applies wherever you live in the state; there is no city income tax in Redding. If you are moving in from another state, our moving out of California guide compares state taxes in both directions.
Salary needed to live in Redding
The MIT Living Wage Calculator gives the pre-tax income needed for basic costs in Shasta County, updated February 15, 2026. It assumes renting and no savings, so treat it as a minimum.
| Household | Living wage per hour (each working adult) | Annual income needed before tax |
|---|---|---|
| 1 adult, no children | $24.54 | $51,052 |
| 1 adult, 1 child | $42.16 | $87,701 |
| 2 adults (1 working), no children | $32.93 | $68,495 |
| 2 adults (both working), 1 child | $24.27 | $100,957 |
| 2 adults (both working), 2 children | $29.87 | $124,278 |
To buy rather than rent, a common lender guide is that housing costs stay under about 28% to 31% of gross income. Principal, interest and the 1% tax on the Redfin median come to about $2,513 a month before insurance, which points to a household income of roughly $97,000 to $108,000 with 20% down. That is our calculation, not a lender's approval.
Redding cost of living vs nearby cities
All values below are Zillow's typical home value and observed rent for September 2026, with Census median household income (ACS 2020-2024). Zillow does not publish a rent figure for Shasta Lake.
| City | Zillow typical home value | Zillow typical rent | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redding | $385,253 | $1,647 | $70,466 |
| Anderson | $336,128 | $1,839 | $47,375 |
| Shasta Lake | $299,117 | n/a | $67,401 |
| Red Bluff | $309,686 | $1,542 | $51,529 |
| Chico | $458,244 | $1,561 | $66,977 |
| Sacramento | $470,552 | $2,045 | $87,321 |
Redding sits in the middle of the north state: cheaper to buy than Chico or Sacramento, more expensive than Anderson, Shasta Lake and Red Bluff. MIT's single-adult living wage is $24.54 an hour in Shasta County, $24.06 in Butte County (Chico) and $28.13 in Sacramento County.
Ways to lower your costs in Redding
- Plan for summer power bills. July highs average 98.7°F at the Redding airport (Western Regional Climate Center, 1986-2016). Ask the seller for 12 months of REU bills, and check the age and efficiency of the air conditioner, attic insulation and windows.
- Ask about REU assistance programs. The utility lists assistance programs on its rate pages; check whether you qualify before your first summer.
- Shop insurance early. Premiums differ a lot by address and insurer. A home with documented defensible-space work and a newer roof may quote better; the Redding Fire Department offers defensible-space inspections.
- File the homeowners' exemption. It saves about $70 a year, and buyers sometimes forget it.
- Compare nearby towns. Zillow's typical value in Shasta Lake is about $86,000 below Redding's; weigh that against commute time and the higher Gateway Unified bond rate described in our county tax guide.
- Check Prop 19 if you are 55 or over and selling a home elsewhere in California, since you may be able to bring your taxable value with you; see our Prop 19 guide.