Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Des Moines, Washington
A $540,000 home here costs
$3,964per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,776. The real number is $1,188 higher every month — 43% 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.
Des Moines against King County and Washington
| Measure | Des Moines | King County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $539,800 | $811,200 |
| Median property tax | $5,467 | $6,785 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.013% | 0.836% |
| Median gross rent | $1,727 | $2,035 |
| Population | 32,545 | 2,262,713 |
The weather behind that power bill
Des Moines sits in King County, which averages a high of 76.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.3°F in its coldest, with 63.28" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 151 cooling and 4,991 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for King County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in King County
Full King County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Des Moines?
A $540,000 home in Des Moines, Washington costs approximately $3,964 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,776 principal and interest, $456 property tax, $80 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $450 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Des Moines?
Des Moines has an effective property tax rate of 1.013%, based on a median home value of $539,800 and median real estate taxes of $5,467. That is higher than the King County average of 0.836%.
What is the average home price in Des Moines?
The median owner-occupied home value in Des Moines, Washington is $539,800, against $811,200 across King County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Des Moines?
Median gross rent in Des Moines is $1,727 a month, against $3,964 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 Des Moines — 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.