Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Athena, Oregon
A $197,000 home here costs
$1,654per 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 $71,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,074. The real number is $580 higher every month, 54% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Umatilla County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Athena from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,206 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 Umatilla 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.
Athena against Umatilla County and Oregon
| Measure | Athena | Umatilla County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,700 | $256,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,140 | $2,534 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.088% | 0.989% |
| Median gross rent | $868 | $962 |
| Population | 1,206 | 80,087 |
The weather behind that power bill
Athena sits in Umatilla County, which averages a high of 89.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 27.5°F in its coldest, with 12.83" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 636 cooling and 5,340 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Umatilla County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Umatilla County
Full Umatilla County cost breakdown · Every county in Oregon
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Athena 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 Athena every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Athena I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Athena?
A $197,000 home in Athena, Oregon costs approximately $1,654 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,074 principal and interest, $179 property tax, $28 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $164 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Athena?
Athena has an effective property tax rate of 1.088%, based on a median home value of $196,700 and median real estate taxes of $2,140. That is higher than the Umatilla County average of 0.989%.
What is the average home price in Athena?
The median owner-occupied home value in Athena, Oregon is $196,700, against $256,100 across Umatilla County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Athena?
Median gross rent in Athena is $868 a month, against $1,654 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 Athena?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Athena, Oregon at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $71,000 a year. That covers the full $1,654 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Athena, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Oregon.
- 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.