Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ames, Texas
A $154,000 home here costs
$1,466per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $63,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $840. The real number is $627 higher every month, 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Liberty County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Ames from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,085 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Liberty County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Ames against Liberty County and Texas
| Measure | Ames | Liberty County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,800 | $167,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,847 | $2,091 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.201% | 1.251% |
| Median gross rent | $1,008 | $1,038 |
| Population | 1,085 | 97,993 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ames sits in Liberty County, which averages a high of 94.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.2°F in its coldest, with 62.82" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,953 cooling and 1,434 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Liberty County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Liberty County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Ames averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Ames every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ames?
A $154,000 home in Ames, Texas costs approximately $1,466 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $840 principal and interest, $154 property tax, $102 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $128 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ames?
Ames has an effective property tax rate of 1.201%, based on a median home value of $153,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,847. That is lower than the Liberty County average of 1.251%.
What is the average home price in Ames?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ames, Texas is $153,800, against $167,100 across Liberty County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ames?
Median gross rent in Ames is $1,008 a month, against $1,466 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Ames?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Ames, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $63,000 a year. That covers the full $1,466 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Ames, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Texas.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.