Cost to Own
United StatesVirginiaGalax cityGalax Population 6,698 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Galax, Virginia

A $127,000 home here costs

$1,097

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $653. The real number is $444 higher every month — 68% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Galax median: $126,800
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, $101,600 borrowed $653
Property tax0.759% effective rate for Galax itself $80
Homeowners insuranceVirginia averages $1,199/yr (NAIC), or 0.295% of home value $31
Electricity17.61¢/kWh — Virginia residential average, EIA $158
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $106
Total monthly $1,097

Galax against Galax city and Virginia

MeasureGalaxGalax city
Median home value$126,800$126,800
Median property tax$962$962
Effective tax rate0.759%0.759%
Median gross rent$692$692
Population6,6986,698

The weather behind that power bill

Galax sits in Galax city, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.3°F in its coldest, with 45.58" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 581 cooling and 5,111 heating degree days, which is what sets the $158 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Galax city

No other places of this size are published in Galax city.

Full Galax city cost breakdown · Every county in Virginia

Common questions

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

A $127,000 home in Galax, Virginia costs approximately $1,097 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $653 principal and interest, $80 property tax, $31 homeowners insurance, $226 utilities and $106 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Galax?

Galax has an effective property tax rate of 0.759%, based on a median home value of $126,800 and median real estate taxes of $962. That is in line with the Galax city average of 0.759%.

What is the average home price in Galax?

The median owner-occupied home value in Galax, Virginia is $126,800, against $126,800 across Galax city.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Galax?

Median gross rent in Galax is $692 a month, against $1,097 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 Galax — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Virginia.
  • 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