"rents in California continue to outpace the nation, with real estate listings website Zillow reporting that a median one-bedroom goes for around $2,100 a month, 40% higher than the national average. These high costs are increasingly forcing painful trade-offs. Kenya Brown, who lives in Bay Point, sent her four youngest kids to spend time at her oldest son's apartment because she was unable to pay her utility bills."
"For those who have stayed in California, many expenses have only gotten worse. Monthly payments for a newly purchased mid-tier home have climbed a whopping 74% from just under $3,200 in Jan. 2020 to more than $5,500 in Sept. 2025, according to the state's Legislative Analysts' Office. In exchange, we've been rewarded with breathtaking natural beauty, a robust economy and a vibrant cultural scene."
Rents and basic living expenses in California remain well above national levels, with a median one-bedroom around $2,100, about 40% higher than the U.S. average. Households are making painful trade-offs, including shifting children between homes and considering leaving the state due to rising insurance and health costs. Child care in some cases exceeds mortgage payments, and families delay home purchases to afford day care. Monthly mortgage-like payments for a mid-tier home jumped about 74% from early 2020 to September 2025, while residents still value the state's natural beauty, economy and cultural offerings despite growing financial strain.
Read at Kqed
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