Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bay City, Texas
A $150,000 home here costs
$1,482per 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 $63,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $818. The real number is $664 higher every month, 81% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Matagorda County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bay City against Matagorda County and Texas
| Measure | Bay City | Matagorda County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,800 | $162,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,366 | $2,035 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.579% | 1.255% |
| Median gross rent | $997 | $998 |
| Population | 17,816 | 36,274 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bay City sits in Matagorda County, which averages a high of 88.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 44.2°F in its coldest, with 44.46" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,820 cooling and 1,319 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Matagorda County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Matagorda County
Full Matagorda County cost breakdown · Every county in Texas
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bay City 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 Bay City every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Bay City I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bay City?
A $150,000 home in Bay City, Texas costs approximately $1,482 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $818 principal and interest, $197 property tax, $99 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $125 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bay City?
Bay City has an effective property tax rate of 1.579%, based on a median home value of $149,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,366. That is higher than the Matagorda County average of 1.255%.
What is the average home price in Bay City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bay City, Texas is $149,800, against $162,200 across Matagorda County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bay City?
Median gross rent in Bay City is $997 a month, against $1,482 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 Bay City?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bay City, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $63,500 a year. That covers the full $1,482 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bay City, 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.