Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ellicott City, Maryland
A $644,000 home here costs
$4,922per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,311. The real number is $1,611 higher every month — 49% 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.
Ellicott City against Howard County and Maryland
| Measure | Ellicott City | Howard County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $644,300 | $576,700 |
| Median property tax | $7,800 | $6,814 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.211% | 1.182% |
| Median gross rent | $2,001 | $2,038 |
| Population | 73,737 | 333,916 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ellicott City sits in Howard County, which averages a high of 88.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 25.4°F in its coldest, with 45" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,322 cooling and 4,484 heating degree days, which is what sets the $196 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Howard County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Howard County
Full Howard County cost breakdown · Every county in Maryland
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ellicott City?
A $644,000 home in Ellicott City, Maryland costs approximately $4,922 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,311 principal and interest, $650 property tax, $161 homeowners insurance, $264 utilities and $537 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ellicott City?
Ellicott City has an effective property tax rate of 1.211%, based on a median home value of $644,300 and median real estate taxes of $7,800. That is higher than the Howard County average of 1.182%.
What is the average home price in Ellicott City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ellicott City, Maryland is $644,300, against $576,700 across Howard County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ellicott City?
Median gross rent in Ellicott City is $2,001 a month, against $4,922 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 Ellicott City — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maryland.
- 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.