Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Harker Heights, Texas
A $269,000 home here costs
$2,451per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $105,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,490. The real number is $961 higher every month, 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Bell County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Harker Heights against Bell County and Texas
| Measure | Harker Heights | Bell County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $269,000 | $221,100 |
| Median property tax | $3,800 | $3,409 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.413% | 1.542% |
| Median gross rent | $1,114 | $1,168 |
| Population | 33,595 | 379,811 |
The weather behind that power bill
Harker Heights sits in Bell County, which averages a high of 96.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.7°F in its coldest, with 36.97" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,630 cooling and 2,032 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Bell County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Bell County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Harker Heights 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 Harker Heights every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Harker Heights I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Harker Heights?
A $269,000 home in Harker Heights, Texas costs approximately $2,451 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $1,490 principal and interest, $317 property tax, $178 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $224 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Harker Heights?
Harker Heights has an effective property tax rate of 1.413%, based on a median home value of $269,000 and median real estate taxes of $3,800. That is lower than the Bell County average of 1.542%.
What is the average home price in Harker Heights?
The median owner-occupied home value in Harker Heights, Texas is $269,000, against $221,100 across Bell County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Harker Heights?
Median gross rent in Harker Heights is $1,114 a month, against $2,451 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 Harker Heights?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Harker Heights, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $105,000 a year. That covers the full $2,451 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Harker Heights, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Texas.
- 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.