Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Cle Elum, Washington
A $379,000 home here costs
$2,822per 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 $121,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,066. The real number is $755 higher every month, 37% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Kittitas County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Cle Elum from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,078 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 Kittitas 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.
Cle Elum against Kittitas County and Washington
| Measure | Cle Elum | Kittitas County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $379,300 | $459,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,109 | $3,255 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.556% | 0.708% |
| Median gross rent | $1,075 | $1,253 |
| Population | 2,078 | 44,736 |
The weather behind that power bill
Cle Elum sits in Kittitas County, which averages a high of 86.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.8°F in its coldest, with 9.16" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 568 cooling and 5,970 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Kittitas County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Kittitas County
Full Kittitas County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Cle Elum 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 Cle Elum every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Cle Elum I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Cle Elum?
A $379,000 home in Cle Elum, Washington costs approximately $2,822 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,066 principal and interest, $176 property tax, $56 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $316 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Cle Elum?
Cle Elum has an effective property tax rate of 0.556%, based on a median home value of $379,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,109. That is lower than the Kittitas County average of 0.708%.
What is the average home price in Cle Elum?
The median owner-occupied home value in Cle Elum, Washington is $379,300, against $459,900 across Kittitas County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cle Elum?
Median gross rent in Cle Elum is $1,075 a month, against $2,822 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 Cle Elum?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Cle Elum, Washington at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $121,000 a year. That covers the full $2,822 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Cle Elum, 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.