Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Johnson City, Tennessee
A $238,000 home here costs
$1,860per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,224. The real number is $636 higher every month — 52% 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.
Johnson City against Sullivan County and Tennessee
| Measure | Johnson City | Sullivan County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $238,000 | $190,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,674 | $1,205 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.703% | 0.632% |
| Median gross rent | $957 | $850 |
| Population | 71,455 | 159,693 |
Johnson City extends across 3 counties. Figures here use Sullivan County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Johnson City sits in Sullivan County, which averages a high of 86.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.3°F in its coldest, with 43.97" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,105 cooling and 4,150 heating degree days, which is what sets the $130 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Sullivan County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Sullivan County
Full Sullivan County cost breakdown · Every county in Tennessee
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Johnson City?
A $238,000 home in Johnson City, Tennessee costs approximately $1,860 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,224 principal and interest, $139 property tax, $100 homeowners insurance, $198 utilities and $198 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Johnson City?
Johnson City has an effective property tax rate of 0.703%, based on a median home value of $238,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,674. That is higher than the Sullivan County average of 0.632%.
What is the average home price in Johnson City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Johnson City, Tennessee is $238,000, against $190,800 across Sullivan County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Johnson City?
Median gross rent in Johnson City is $957 a month, against $1,860 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 Johnson City — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Tennessee.
- 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.