Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Early, Texas
A $171,000 home here costs
$1,557per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $879. The real number is $677 higher every month — 77% 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.
Early against Brown County and Texas
| Measure | Early | Brown County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $170,700 | $149,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,468 | $1,727 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.446% | 1.152% |
| Median gross rent | $1,137 | $887 |
| Population | 3,159 | 38,294 |
The weather behind that power bill
Early sits in Brown County, which averages a high of 96.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.7°F in its coldest, with 30.64" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,607 cooling and 2,352 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Brown County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Brown County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Early?
A $171,000 home in Early, Texas costs approximately $1,557 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $879 principal and interest, $206 property tax, $113 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Early?
Early has an effective property tax rate of 1.446%, based on a median home value of $170,700 and median real estate taxes of $2,468. That is higher than the Brown County average of 1.152%.
What is the average home price in Early?
The median owner-occupied home value in Early, Texas is $170,700, against $149,900 across Brown County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Early?
Median gross rent in Early is $1,137 a month, against $1,557 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 Early — 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.