Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fern Prairie, Washington
A $550,000 home here costs
$4,142per 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 $177,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,999. The real number is $1,143 higher every month, 38% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Clark County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Fern Prairie from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,132 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Clark County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Fern Prairie against Clark County and Washington
| Measure | Fern Prairie | Clark County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $550,000 | $487,900 |
| Median property tax | $4,745 | $4,080 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.863% | 0.836% |
| Median gross rent | $1,482 | $1,668 |
| Population | 2,132 | 510,516 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fern Prairie sits in Clark County, which averages a high of 79.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 31.7°F in its coldest, with 52.37" of precipitation a year and 44% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 164 cooling and 5,303 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Clark County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Clark County
Full Clark County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Fern Prairie 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 Fern Prairie every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fern Prairie I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fern Prairie?
A $550,000 home in Fern Prairie, Washington costs approximately $4,142 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,999 principal and interest, $396 property tax, $82 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $458 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fern Prairie?
Fern Prairie has an effective property tax rate of 0.863%, based on a median home value of $550,000 and median real estate taxes of $4,745. That is higher than the Clark County average of 0.836%.
What is the average home price in Fern Prairie?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fern Prairie, Washington is $550,000, against $487,900 across Clark County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fern Prairie?
Median gross rent in Fern Prairie is $1,482 a month, against $4,142 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 Fern Prairie?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fern Prairie, Washington at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $177,500 a year. That covers the full $4,142 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fern Prairie, 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.