Cost to Own
United StatesLouisianaUnion ParishBernice Population 1,170 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Bernice, Louisiana

A $90,000 home here costs

$853

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $463. The real number is $390 higher every month — 84% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Bernice median: $90,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $72,000 borrowed $463
Property tax0.514% effective rate for Bernice itself $39
Homeowners insuranceLouisiana averages $2,259/yr (NAIC), or 1.083% of home value $81
Electricity14.15¢/kWh — Louisiana residential average, EIA $127
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $75
Total monthly $853

Bernice against Union Parish and Louisiana

MeasureBerniceUnion Parish
Median home value$90,300$115,400
Median property tax$464$470
Effective tax rate0.514%0.407%
Median gross rent$680$758
Population1,17020,914

The weather behind that power bill

Bernice sits in Union Parish, which averages a high of 92.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.7°F in its coldest, with 58.19" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,380 cooling and 2,368 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Union Parish — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Union Parish

Full Union Parish cost breakdown · Every county in Louisiana

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Bernice?

A $90,000 home in Bernice, Louisiana costs approximately $853 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $463 principal and interest, $39 property tax, $81 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $75 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Bernice?

Bernice has an effective property tax rate of 0.514%, based on a median home value of $90,300 and median real estate taxes of $464. That is higher than the Union Parish average of 0.407%.

What is the average home price in Bernice?

The median owner-occupied home value in Bernice, Louisiana is $90,300, against $115,400 across Union Parish.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bernice?

Median gross rent in Bernice is $680 a month, against $853 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 Bernice — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Louisiana.
  • 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.

Full methodology