Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Chelan, Washington
A $428,000 home here costs
$3,199per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $137,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,333. The real number is $865 higher every month, 37% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Chelan County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Chelan from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 4,314 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Chelan County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Chelan against Chelan County and Washington
| Measure | Chelan | Chelan County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $428,200 | $454,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,848 | $3,235 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.665% | 0.711% |
| Median gross rent | $1,447 | $1,182 |
| Population | 4,314 | 79,518 |
The weather behind that power bill
Chelan sits in Chelan County, which averages a high of 81.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.3°F in its coldest, with 27.24" of precipitation a year and 52% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 219 cooling and 7,206 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Chelan County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Chelan County
Full Chelan County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Chelan averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Chelan every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Chelan I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Chelan?
A $428,000 home in Chelan, Washington costs approximately $3,199 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,333 principal and interest, $237 property tax, $63 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $357 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Chelan?
Chelan has an effective property tax rate of 0.665%, based on a median home value of $428,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,848. That is lower than the Chelan County average of 0.711%.
What is the average home price in Chelan?
The median owner-occupied home value in Chelan, Washington is $428,200, against $454,900 across Chelan County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chelan?
Median gross rent in Chelan is $1,447 a month, against $3,199 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Chelan?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Chelan, Washington at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $137,000 a year. That covers the full $3,199 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Chelan, 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.