Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Hillsboro, Ohio
A $137,000 home here costs
$1,217per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $704. The real number is $512 higher every month — 73% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Hillsboro against Highland County and Ohio
| Measure | Hillsboro | Highland County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,900 | $157,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,244 | $1,475 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.909% | 0.939% |
| Median gross rent | $734 | $757 |
| Population | 6,539 | 43,403 |
The weather behind that power bill
Hillsboro sits in Highland County, which averages a high of 84.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.4°F in its coldest, with 46.68" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 829 cooling and 5,441 heating degree days, which is what sets the $175 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Highland County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Highland County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Hillsboro?
A $137,000 home in Hillsboro, Ohio costs approximately $1,217 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $704 principal and interest, $104 property tax, $51 homeowners insurance, $243 utilities and $114 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Hillsboro?
Hillsboro has an effective property tax rate of 0.909%, based on a median home value of $136,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,244. That is lower than the Highland County average of 0.939%.
What is the average home price in Hillsboro?
The median owner-occupied home value in Hillsboro, Ohio is $136,900, against $157,000 across Highland County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Hillsboro?
Median gross rent in Hillsboro is $734 a month, against $1,217 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 Hillsboro — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Ohio.
- 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.