Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Forks, Washington
A $194,000 home here costs
$1,551per 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 $66,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,058. The real number is $493 higher every month, 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Clallam County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Forks from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,413 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 Clallam 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.
Forks against Clallam County and Washington
| Measure | Forks | Clallam County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,900 | $385,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,139 | $2,860 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.587% | 0.742% |
| Median gross rent | $878 | $1,110 |
| Population | 3,413 | 77,593 |
The weather behind that power bill
Forks sits in Clallam County, which averages a high of 69.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.0°F in its coldest, with 29.41" of precipitation a year and 50% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 23 cooling and 6,015 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Clallam County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Clallam County
Full Clallam County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Forks 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 Forks every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Forks?
A $194,000 home in Forks, Washington costs approximately $1,551 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,058 principal and interest, $95 property tax, $29 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $162 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Forks?
Forks has an effective property tax rate of 0.587%, based on a median home value of $193,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,139. That is lower than the Clallam County average of 0.742%.
What is the average home price in Forks?
The median owner-occupied home value in Forks, Washington is $193,900, against $385,600 across Clallam County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forks?
Median gross rent in Forks is $878 a month, against $1,551 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 Forks?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Forks, Washington at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $66,500 a year. That covers the full $1,551 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Forks, 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.