Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Big Lake, Washington
A $660,000 home here costs
$4,737per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,393. The real number is $1,344 higher every month — 40% 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.
Big Lake against Skagit County and Washington
| Measure | Big Lake | Skagit County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $659,800 | $486,200 |
| Median property tax | $5,920 | $4,008 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.897% | 0.824% |
| Median gross rent | $1,932 | $1,439 |
| Population | 2,648 | 130,407 |
The weather behind that power bill
Big Lake sits in Skagit County, which averages a high of 76.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.4°F in its coldest, with 71.24" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 137 cooling and 5,325 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Skagit County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Skagit County
Full Skagit County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Big Lake?
A $660,000 home in Big Lake, Washington costs approximately $4,737 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,393 principal and interest, $493 property tax, $98 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $550 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Big Lake?
Big Lake has an effective property tax rate of 0.897%, based on a median home value of $659,800 and median real estate taxes of $5,920. That is higher than the Skagit County average of 0.824%.
What is the average home price in Big Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Big Lake, Washington is $659,800, against $486,200 across Skagit County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Big Lake?
Median gross rent in Big Lake is $1,932 a month, against $4,737 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 Big Lake — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Washington.
- 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.