Where are California's highest HOA fees?

"The 2024 cost data was the first time the bureau has broken out this homeowner expense. One complaint was that California's $278 median monthly fee, as calculated by the bureau, didn't align with critics' reality. They pay far more, suggesting that statewide data somehow hides the highest fees. Well, the median is the price where half pay more and half pay less. It's a statistical tool that helps compare geographical patterns."

"Who pays the most? Like many housing costs, association fees tend to be pricier closer to the ocean or the bay and cheaper inland. Ponder which counties had the highest median monthly fees last year. San Francisco was No. 1 with a median HOA fee of $550 in 2024. Then came San Mateo at $445, Marin at $399, Los Angeles at $370, and Santa Clara at $363."

"The lowest median fees were found in Butte at $113, Fresno at $140, San Joaquin at $142, Shasta at $146 and Placer at $148. HOA fees are more of a southern burden, as seen in the counties with the most fee-paying units. Los Angeles had the most, with 314,655 residences charging HOA fees, followed by Orange at 287,171, San Diego at 246,964, Riverside at 172,259, and Alameda at 92,075."

The U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 data provided state-level median monthly HOA fee figures for the first time. California's statewide median was $278, while county medians ranged widely, reflecting coastal and bay counties' higher fees compared with inland counties. San Francisco had the highest median at $550, followed by San Mateo $445, Marin $399, Los Angeles $370 and Santa Clara $363. The lowest medians were Butte $113, Fresno $140, San Joaquin $142, Shasta $146 and Placer $148. Los Angeles had the most HOA-fee residences at 314,655, and Orange County had the largest share of owned homes charging HOA fees at 46%.

Read at www.ocregister.com