Cost to Own
United StatesWashingtonSkamania CountyCarson Population 2,553 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Carson, Washington

A $385,000 home here costs

$2,776

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,979. The real number is $796 higher every month — 40% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Carson median: $385,100
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, $308,000 borrowed $1,979
Property tax0.673% effective rate for Carson itself $216
Homeowners insuranceWashington averages $1,001/yr (NAIC), or 0.178% of home value $57
Electricity14.95¢/kWh — Washington residential average, EIA $134
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $321
Total monthly $2,776

Carson against Skamania County and Washington

MeasureCarsonSkamania County
Median home value$385,100$472,600
Median property tax$2,593$3,380
Effective tax rate0.673%0.715%
Median gross rent$955$1,024
Population2,55312,276

The weather behind that power bill

Carson sits in Skamania County, which averages a high of 81.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 28.5°F in its coldest, with 88.9" of precipitation a year and 50% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 207 cooling and 6,291 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Skamania County

Full Skamania County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington

Common questions

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

A $385,000 home in Carson, Washington costs approximately $2,776 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,979 principal and interest, $216 property tax, $57 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $321 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Carson?

Carson has an effective property tax rate of 0.673%, based on a median home value of $385,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,593. That is lower than the Skamania County average of 0.715%.

What is the average home price in Carson?

The median owner-occupied home value in Carson, Washington is $385,100, against $472,600 across Skamania County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carson?

Median gross rent in Carson is $955 a month, against $2,776 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 Carson — 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.

Full methodology