Cost to Own
United StatesVirginiaAugusta CountyHarriston Population 1,252 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Harriston, Virginia

A $149,000 home here costs

$1,233

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $766. The real number is $467 higher every month — 61% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Harriston median: $149,100
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, $119,200 borrowed $766
Property tax0.647% effective rate for Harriston itself $80
Homeowners insuranceVirginia averages $1,199/yr (NAIC), or 0.295% of home value $37
Electricity17.61¢/kWh — Virginia residential average, EIA $158
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $124
Total monthly $1,233

Harriston against Augusta County and Virginia

MeasureHarristonAugusta County
Median home value$149,100$281,400
Median property tax$964$1,379
Effective tax rate0.647%0.490%
Median gross rent$986$1,057
Population1,25277,713

The weather behind that power bill

Harriston sits in Augusta County, which averages a high of 84.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.7°F in its coldest, with 40.64" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 892 cooling and 4,834 heating degree days, which is what sets the $158 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Augusta County

Full Augusta County cost breakdown · Every county in Virginia

Common questions

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

A $149,000 home in Harriston, Virginia costs approximately $1,233 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $766 principal and interest, $80 property tax, $37 homeowners insurance, $226 utilities and $124 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Harriston?

Harriston has an effective property tax rate of 0.647%, based on a median home value of $149,100 and median real estate taxes of $964. That is higher than the Augusta County average of 0.490%.

What is the average home price in Harriston?

The median owner-occupied home value in Harriston, Virginia is $149,100, against $281,400 across Augusta County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Harriston?

Median gross rent in Harriston is $986 a month, against $1,233 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 Harriston — 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