Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kountze, Texas
A $131,000 home here costs
$1,250per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $53,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $714. The real number is $535 higher every month, 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Hardin County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Kountze from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,982 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 Hardin 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.
Kountze against Hardin County and Texas
| Measure | Kountze | Hardin County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $130,500 | $188,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,163 | $2,174 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.891% | 1.155% |
| Median gross rent | $875 | $1,011 |
| Population | 1,982 | 57,126 |
The weather behind that power bill
Kountze sits in Hardin County, which averages a high of 93.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 39.4°F in its coldest, with 63.23" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,722 cooling and 1,646 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hardin County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hardin County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Kountze 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 Kountze every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Kountze I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Kountze?
A $131,000 home in Kountze, Texas costs approximately $1,250 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $714 principal and interest, $97 property tax, $87 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $109 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Kountze?
Kountze has an effective property tax rate of 0.891%, based on a median home value of $130,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,163. That is lower than the Hardin County average of 1.155%.
What is the average home price in Kountze?
The median owner-occupied home value in Kountze, Texas is $130,500, against $188,200 across Hardin County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kountze?
Median gross rent in Kountze is $875 a month, against $1,250 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 Kountze?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Kountze, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $53,500 a year. That covers the full $1,250 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kountze, 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.