Cost to Own
United StatesTexasGillespie CountyHarper Population 1,199 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Harper, Texas

A $349,000 home here costs

$2,742

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,794. The real number is $948 higher every month — 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Harper median: $348,900
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, $279,200 borrowed $1,794
Property tax0.724% effective rate for Harper itself $211
Homeowners insuranceTexas averages $2,124/yr (NAIC), or 0.794% of home value $231
Electricity16.44¢/kWh — Texas residential average, EIA $148
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $291
Total monthly $2,742

Harper against Gillespie County and Texas

MeasureHarperGillespie County
Median home value$348,900$432,300
Median property tax$2,526$4,404
Effective tax rate0.724%1.019%
Median gross rent$1,331
Population1,19927,202

The weather behind that power bill

Harper sits in Gillespie County, which averages a high of 94.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.2°F in its coldest, with 30.56" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,382 cooling and 2,163 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Gillespie County

Full Gillespie County cost breakdown · Every county in Texas

Common questions

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

A $349,000 home in Harper, Texas costs approximately $2,742 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,794 principal and interest, $211 property tax, $231 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $291 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Harper?

Harper has an effective property tax rate of 0.724%, based on a median home value of $348,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,526. That is lower than the Gillespie County average of 1.019%.

What is the average home price in Harper?

The median owner-occupied home value in Harper, Texas is $348,900, against $432,300 across Gillespie County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Harper?

Rent data is not published for Harper at this level of detail.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Harper — 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.

Full methodology