Cost to Own
United StatesLouisianaSt. Mary ParishCharenton Population 1,295 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Charenton, Louisiana

A $125,000 home here costs

$1,097

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $643. The real number is $454 higher every month — 71% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Charenton median: $125,000
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, $100,000 borrowed $643
Property tax0.402% — St. Mary Parish rate; no place-level figure published $42
Homeowners insuranceLouisiana averages $2,259/yr (NAIC), or 1.083% of home value $113
Electricity14.15¢/kWh — Louisiana residential average, EIA $127
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $104
Total monthly $1,097

Charenton against St. Mary Parish and Louisiana

MeasureCharentonSt. Mary Parish
Median home value$125,000$128,000
Median property tax$515
Effective tax rate0.402%0.402%
Median gross rent$938$839
Population1,29548,455

The weather behind that power bill

Charenton sits in St. Mary Parish, which averages a high of 90.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.5°F in its coldest, with 66.79" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,558 cooling and 1,509 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in St. Mary Parish

Full St. Mary Parish cost breakdown · Every county in Louisiana

Common questions

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

A $125,000 home in Charenton, Louisiana costs approximately $1,097 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $643 principal and interest, $42 property tax, $113 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $104 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Charenton?

Place-level tax data is not published for Charenton, so the St. Mary Parish rate of 0.402% applies here.

What is the average home price in Charenton?

The median owner-occupied home value in Charenton, Louisiana is $125,000, against $128,000 across St. Mary Parish.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Charenton?

Median gross rent in Charenton is $938 a month, against $1,097 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 Charenton — 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