Cost to Own
United StatesMassachusettsBarnstable CountyForestdale Population 3,716 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Forestdale, Massachusetts

A $463,000 home here costs

$3,674

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,380. The real number is $1,294 higher every month — 54% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Forestdale median: $462,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US 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, $370,400 borrowed $2,380
Property tax1.195% effective rate for Forestdale itself $461
Homeowners insuranceMassachusetts averages $1,712/yr (NAIC), or 0.31% of home value $120
Electricity28.82¢/kWh — Massachusetts residential average, EIA $259
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $386
Total monthly $3,674

Forestdale against Barnstable County and Massachusetts

MeasureForestdaleBarnstable County
Median home value$462,500$575,900
Median property tax$5,529$4,090
Effective tax rate1.195%0.710%
Median gross rent$1,790$1,596
Population3,716230,073

The weather behind that power bill

Forestdale sits in Barnstable County, which averages a high of 80.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.1°F in its coldest, with 44.7" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 632 cooling and 5,518 heating degree days, which is what sets the $259 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Barnstable County

Full Barnstable County cost breakdown · Every county in Massachusetts

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Forestdale?

A $463,000 home in Forestdale, Massachusetts costs approximately $3,674 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,380 principal and interest, $461 property tax, $120 homeowners insurance, $327 utilities and $386 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Forestdale?

Forestdale has an effective property tax rate of 1.195%, based on a median home value of $462,500 and median real estate taxes of $5,529. That is higher than the Barnstable County average of 0.710%.

What is the average home price in Forestdale?

The median owner-occupied home value in Forestdale, Massachusetts is $462,500, against $575,900 across Barnstable County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forestdale?

Median gross rent in Forestdale is $1,790 a month, against $3,674 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 Forestdale — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Massachusetts.
  • 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