Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Grande, Oregon
A $244,000 home here costs
$1,937per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,254. The real number is $682 higher every month — 54% 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.
La Grande against Union County and Oregon
| Measure | La Grande | Union County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $244,200 | $260,500 |
| Median property tax | $2,758 | $2,307 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.129% | 0.886% |
| Median gross rent | $970 | $982 |
| Population | 13,059 | 26,192 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Grande sits in Union County, which averages a high of 87.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.4°F in its coldest, with 17.4" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 477 cooling and 6,132 heating degree days, which is what sets the $146 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Union County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Union County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Grande?
A $244,000 home in La Grande, Oregon costs approximately $1,937 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,254 principal and interest, $230 property tax, $35 homeowners insurance, $214 utilities and $203 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Grande?
La Grande has an effective property tax rate of 1.129%, based on a median home value of $244,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,758. That is higher than the Union County average of 0.886%.
What is the average home price in La Grande?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Grande, Oregon is $244,200, against $260,500 across Union County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Grande?
Median gross rent in La Grande is $970 a month, against $1,937 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 La Grande — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Oregon.
- 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.