Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kemah, Texas
A $269,000 home here costs
$2,431per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $104,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,478. The real number is $953 higher every month, 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Galveston County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Kemah from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,952 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Galveston County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Kemah against Galveston County and Texas
| Measure | Kemah | Galveston County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $268,900 | $284,900 |
| Median property tax | $3,702 | $4,238 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.377% | 1.488% |
| Median gross rent | $1,579 | $1,360 |
| Population | 1,952 | 354,721 |
The weather behind that power bill
Kemah sits in Galveston County, which averages a high of 92.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 48.9°F in its coldest, with 47.22" of precipitation a year and 35% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,571 cooling and 889 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Galveston County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Galveston County
Full Galveston County cost breakdown · Every county in Texas
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Kemah averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Kemah every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Kemah?
A $269,000 home in Kemah, Texas costs approximately $2,431 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $1,478 principal and interest, $309 property tax, $178 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $224 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Kemah?
Kemah has an effective property tax rate of 1.377%, based on a median home value of $268,900 and median real estate taxes of $3,702. That is lower than the Galveston County average of 1.488%.
What is the average home price in Kemah?
The median owner-occupied home value in Kemah, Texas is $268,900, against $284,900 across Galveston County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kemah?
Median gross rent in Kemah is $1,579 a month, against $2,431 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Kemah?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Kemah, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $104,000 a year. That covers the full $2,431 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kemah, 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.