Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Big Sandy, Texas
A $120,000 home here costs
$1,209per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $617. The real number is $592 higher every month — 96% 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 Sandy against Upshur County and Texas
| Measure | Big Sandy | Upshur County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,800 | $171,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,363 | $2,099 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.972% | 1.226% |
| Median gross rent | $751 | $1,015 |
| Population | 1,215 | 41,864 |
The weather behind that power bill
Big Sandy sits in Upshur County, which averages a high of 92.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.7°F in its coldest, with 47.92" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,080 cooling and 2,737 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Upshur County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Upshur County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Big Sandy?
A $120,000 home in Big Sandy, Texas costs approximately $1,209 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $617 principal and interest, $197 property tax, $79 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $100 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Big Sandy?
Big Sandy has an effective property tax rate of 1.972%, based on a median home value of $119,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,363. That is higher than the Upshur County average of 1.226%.
What is the average home price in Big Sandy?
The median owner-occupied home value in Big Sandy, Texas is $119,800, against $171,200 across Upshur County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Big Sandy?
Median gross rent in Big Sandy is $751 a month, against $1,209 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 Sandy — 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.