Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Elmira, New York
A $88,000 home here costs
$1,116per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $452. The real number is $663 higher every month — 147% 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.
Elmira against Chemung County and New York
| Measure | Elmira | Chemung County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,200 | $132,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,808 | $3,332 |
| Effective tax rate | 3.184% | 2.522% |
| Median gross rent | $871 | $1,020 |
| Population | 26,349 | 82,805 |
The weather behind that power bill
Elmira sits in Chemung County, which averages a high of 82.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.4°F in its coldest, with 32.36" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 490 cooling and 6,648 heating degree days, which is what sets the $269 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Chemung County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Chemung County
Full Chemung County cost breakdown · Every county in New York
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Elmira?
A $88,000 home in Elmira, New York costs approximately $1,116 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $452 principal and interest, $233 property tax, $19 homeowners insurance, $337 utilities and $73 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Elmira?
Elmira has an effective property tax rate of 3.184%, based on a median home value of $88,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,808. That is higher than the Chemung County average of 2.522%.
What is the average home price in Elmira?
The median owner-occupied home value in Elmira, New York is $88,200, against $132,100 across Chemung County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Elmira?
Median gross rent in Elmira is $871 a month, against $1,116 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 Elmira — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for New York.
- 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.