Cost to Own
United States › Texas › Hays County › Dripping Springs Population 6,322 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-29
The part nobody budgets Even with the mortgage fully paid off, the median home here still costs $1,769 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Hays County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Dripping Springs, Texas

A $579,000 home here costs

$4,925

per 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 $211,000 a year.

P&I 64%Tax 13%Insurance 8%Utilities 5%Upkeep 10%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,157. The real number is $1,769 higher every month, 56% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Hays County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Dripping Springs median: $579,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
TX 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, $463,200 borrowed $3,157
Property tax1.369% effective rate for Dripping Springs itself $661
Homeowners insuranceTexas averages $2,124/yr (NAIC), or 0.794% of home value $383
Electricity15.91ยข/kWh, Texas residential average, EIA $174
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $483
Total monthly $4,925

Dripping Springs against Hays County and Texas

MeasureDripping SpringsHays County
Median home value$579,300$371,400
Median property tax$7,928$6,420
Effective tax rate1.369%1.729%
Median gross rent$1,985$1,417
Population6,322256,429

The weather behind that power bill

Dripping Springs sits in Hays County, which averages a high of 95.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.9°F in its coldest, with 35.7" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,709 cooling and 1,811 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Hays County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Hays County

Full Hays County cost breakdown · Every county in Texas

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Dripping Springs 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 Dripping Springs every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Dripping Springs I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Dripping Springs?

A $579,000 home in Dripping Springs, Texas costs approximately $4,925 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $3,157 principal and interest, $661 property tax, $383 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $483 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Dripping Springs?

Dripping Springs has an effective property tax rate of 1.369%, based on a median home value of $579,300 and median real estate taxes of $7,928. That is lower than the Hays County average of 1.729%.

What is the average home price in Dripping Springs?

The median owner-occupied home value in Dripping Springs, Texas is $579,300, against $371,400 across Hays County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dripping Springs?

Median gross rent in Dripping Springs is $1,985 a month, against $4,925 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 Dripping Springs?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Dripping Springs, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $211,000 a year. That covers the full $4,925 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Dripping Springs, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Texas.
  • 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