How much are property taxes in El Cajon, CA?

Name: Property taxes in El Cajon, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Homeowners in El Cajon, CA pay a median of $4,533 (±$215) a year in real estate taxes (2020–2024 American Community Survey, table B25103).

Homes with a mortgage pay a median of $4,893.

Homes without a mortgage pay a median of $3,591.

That is about 0.7% of the median home value of $681,700.

In El Cajon, the median real estate tax went from $3,049 in 2015–2019 to $4,533 in 2020–2024 (+48.7%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Median real estate taxes: $4,533 (±$215)
With a mortgage: $4,893
Without a mortgage: $3,591
Share of median value: 0.7%

Real estate taxes in El Cajon against San Diego County, its state and the nation

Median real estate taxes paid a year, estimate (90% margin of error)
	El Cajon	San Diego County	California	United States
Median real estate taxes	$4,533 (±$215)	$5,774 (±$47)	$5,124 (±$17)	$3,119
Homes with a mortgage	$4,893 (±$275)	$6,375 (±$55)	$5,839 (±$17)	$3,489
Homes without a mortgage	$3,591 (±$340)	$4,129 (±$91)	$3,825 (±$19)	$2,576
Median home value	$681,700 (±$18,389)	$854,700 (±$3,996)	$734,700 (±$1,307)	$332,700

In El Cajon, the median real estate tax is lower than in San Diego County ($5,774).

It is also lower than in California ($5,124).

It is higher than the national figure ($3,119).

In San Diego County, El Cajon ranks 36 of 48 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest median real estate taxes.

Statewide, it ranks 499 of 1,056.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Taxes as a share of home value in El Cajon

The median tax ($4,533) is 0.7% of the median home value ($681,700).

Across San Diego County the same ratio is 0.7%.

Across California it is 0.7%.

This is a ratio of two medians, a rough effective rate: not the tax rate or mill rate the town, county or school district sets, and not any one home’s bill.

Owners report what they paid and what they think their home is worth; the assessor’s office publishes the actual rates and assessments.

How property taxes in El Cajon have changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Median real estate taxes	$3,049 (±$166)	$4,533 (±$215)	+48.7%	Up after inflation
Median home value	$445,600 (±$7,834)	$681,700 (±$18,389)	+53.0%	Up after inflation
Median owner cost with a mortgage	$2,250 (±$71)	$2,722 (±$111)	+21.0%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Median real estate taxes in places near El Cajon

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with El Cajon
Place	Distance	Median real estate taxes	Compared with this place
El Cajon	—	$4,533 (±$215)	—
Bostonia	1.6 mi	$2,845 (±$669)	Lower
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix	2.7 mi	$6,104 (±$442)	Higher
Winter Gardens	3.2 mi	$4,425 (±$653)	Not measurably different
Granite Hills	3.2 mi	$6,109 (±$1,213)	Higher
Rancho San Diego	3.6 mi	$5,781 (±$690)	Higher
Santee	4.0 mi	$4,840 (±$272)	Not measurably different
La Mesa	4.2 mi	$5,339 (±$273)	Higher
Lakeside	5.0 mi	$4,150 (±$512)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Bostonia, CA ($2,845).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA ($6,104), Granite Hills, CA ($6,109), Rancho San Diego, CA ($5,781).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Median real estate taxes across San Diego County, place by place

Rank	Place	Median real estate taxes
30	Escondido	$4,898 (±$266)
31	Santee	$4,840 (±$272)
32	Oceanside	$4,785 (±$171)
33	Fallbrook	$4,776 (±$419)
34	Lemon Grove	$4,752 (±$447)
35	Imperial Beach	$4,745 (±$790)
36	El Cajon	$4,533 (±$215)
37	Julian	$4,456 (±$1,196)
38	Winter Gardens	$4,425 (±$653)
39	Lakeside	$4,150 (±$512)
40	La Presa	$4,105 (±$467)
41	Crest	$3,997 (±$695)
42	Harbison Canyon	$3,930 (±$1,259)

Showing 13 of 48 places in San Diego County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about El Cajon

How much are property taxes in El Cajon?

The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in El Cajon, CA is $4,533 (±$215) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

What is the property tax rate in El Cajon?

The Census Bureau does not publish tax rates; as a rough guide, the median tax paid is 0.7% of the median home value in El Cajon, and the actual rate is set by the town, county and school district.

Have property taxes in El Cajon gone up?

In El Cajon, the median real estate tax went from $3,049 in 2015–2019 to $4,533 in 2020–2024 (+48.7%).

Prices (CPI-U) rose 22.7% over the same years, so it rose faster than prices: a measurable increase after inflation.

Are property taxes in El Cajon higher than in San Diego County?

In El Cajon, the median real estate tax is lower than in San Diego County ($5,774).

It is also lower than in California ($5,124).

It is higher than the national figure ($3,119).

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for El Cajon city, California (place:21712, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are B25103_001E, B25103_001M, B25077_001E, B25077_001M, B25088_002E, B25088_002M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

B25103_001E, B25103_001M, B25103_002E, B25103_002M, B25103_003E, B25103_003M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.