Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Arlington, Texas
A $276,000 home here costs
$2,436per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,419. The real number is $1,017 higher every month — 72% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Arlington against Tarrant County and Texas
| Measure | Arlington | Tarrant County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $276,400 | $294,100 |
| Median property tax | $4,666 | $5,211 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.688% | 1.772% |
| Median gross rent | $1,389 | $1,447 |
| Population | 394,769 | 2,135,743 |
The weather behind that power bill
Arlington sits in Tarrant County, which averages a high of 97.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.9°F in its coldest, with 38.32" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,125 cooling and 1,992 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Tarrant County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Tarrant County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Arlington?
A $276,000 home in Arlington, Texas costs approximately $2,436 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,419 principal and interest, $388 property tax, $183 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $230 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Arlington?
Arlington has an effective property tax rate of 1.688%, based on a median home value of $276,400 and median real estate taxes of $4,666. That is lower than the Tarrant County average of 1.772%.
What is the average home price in Arlington?
The median owner-occupied home value in Arlington, Texas is $276,400, against $294,100 across Tarrant County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Arlington?
Median gross rent in Arlington is $1,389 a month, against $2,436 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Arlington — 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.