Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Houston, Texas
A $253,000 home here costs
$2,228per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,301. The real number is $927 higher every month — 71% 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.
Houston against Harris County and Texas
| Measure | Houston | Harris County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $253,400 | $255,000 |
| Median property tax | $4,003 | $4,382 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.580% | 1.718% |
| Median gross rent | $1,313 | $1,349 |
| Population | 2,300,419 | 4,758,579 |
Houston extends across 4 counties. Figures here use Harris County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Houston sits in Harris County, which averages a high of 94.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 43.7°F in its coldest, with 51.84" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,288 cooling and 1,266 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Harris County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Harris County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Houston?
A $253,000 home in Houston, Texas costs approximately $2,228 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,301 principal and interest, $333 property tax, $167 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $211 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Houston?
Houston has an effective property tax rate of 1.580%, based on a median home value of $253,400 and median real estate taxes of $4,003. That is lower than the Harris County average of 1.718%.
What is the average home price in Houston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Houston, Texas is $253,400, against $255,000 across Harris County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Houston?
Median gross rent in Houston is $1,313 a month, against $2,228 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 Houston — 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.