Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Charles Town, West Virginia
A $360,000 home here costs
$2,755per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,851. The real number is $905 higher every month — 49% 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.
Charles Town against Jefferson County and West Virginia
| Measure | Charles Town | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $359,500 | $324,500 |
| Median property tax | $2,346 | $1,796 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.653% | 0.553% |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $1,103 |
| Population | 6,854 | 58,546 |
The weather behind that power bill
Charles Town sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 86.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.5°F in its coldest, with 38.97" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,013 cooling and 4,947 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Jefferson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Jefferson County
Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in West Virginia
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Charles Town?
A $360,000 home in Charles Town, West Virginia costs approximately $2,755 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,851 principal and interest, $196 property tax, $190 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $300 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Charles Town?
Charles Town has an effective property tax rate of 0.653%, based on a median home value of $359,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,346. That is higher than the Jefferson County average of 0.553%.
What is the average home price in Charles Town?
The median owner-occupied home value in Charles Town, West Virginia is $359,500, against $324,500 across Jefferson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Charles Town?
Median gross rent in Charles Town is $1,086 a month, against $2,755 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 Charles Town — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for West Virginia.
- 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.