When discussing home prices, Chino cannot be overlooked. Especially for those who have sighed at the prices while searching for homes in Orange County, you may have searched for Chino at least once. Initially, I thought, "It must be expensive there too," but when I compared the market prices, I found a significant difference.

Of course, it's hard to call it a 'cheap neighborhood' like in the past, but compared to Orange County, it is still a realistic option.

As of 2026, according to Zillow and Redfin, the median home price in Chino is around $720,000. While some new developments or locations may exceed $800,000, on average, it remains over 20% lower than Fullerton or Anaheim. This makes it a popular area for young couples looking to buy their first home or families wanting to move to a larger house.

Let's do some calculations. If we set the home price at $720,000 and make a down payment of 20%, which is $144,000, the loan amount would be $576,000. Based on a 30-year fixed rate of 6.75%, the monthly payment for principal and interest would be about $3,736.

We also need to add California property taxes. San Bernardino County, where Chino is located, has an effective tax rate of about 1.1%, so the monthly property tax would be approximately $660. Homeowners insurance is expected to be around $120 to $130 per month. If it's a new community with an HOA, additional monthly fees of $200 to $350 are common. While costs can be reduced for single-family homes without an HOA, most new townhomes require consideration of HOA fees.

Even without HOA fees, the total monthly housing-related costs are about $4,520. Including HOA fees, a realistic estimate would be around $4,700 to $4,900.

So, what kind of income is necessary? Applying the recommended DTI of 28% from financial institutions, a monthly income of about $16,000 or more is needed.

When converted to annual income, that amounts to about $194,000. However, the median household income in San Bernardino County is around $80,000. Just looking at the numbers, it's clear that the rate of increase in home prices has far outpaced income growth.

Still, there are clear reasons why Chino continues to gain popularity. With the same budget, there is a much higher chance of buying a larger and newer home compared to Orange County. In fact, new townhouses can still be found in the low $600,000s to low $700,000s, and many have well-equipped community facilities. There are many developments with parks, walking trails, swimming pools, and playgrounds, which tend to be highly satisfying for families with young children.

Compared to nearby Chino Hills, the price difference is quite significant. In Chino Hills, similar-sized homes are often 10-15% more expensive, and compared to major cities in Orange County like Fullerton or Anaheim, it is common to see differences of over 25%. This is why more people are choosing Chino with the thought of "I can save on home prices even if my commute time increases a bit."

Of course, there are downsides. If your job is in Irvine or Costa Mesa, commute times will definitely be longer. During rush hours, the 57, 71, and 91 freeways can be heavily congested, leading to over two hours of driving round trip on some days. This is a matter each household must consider when weighing home prices against time.

In my opinion, Chino is still one of the few areas where you can maintain a lifestyle in Orange County while reducing financial burdens.

However, it seems that the best decision would be to consider not just home prices but also HOA costs, commute times, school districts, and lifestyle before making a choice to avoid regrets.