Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Vale, Maryland
A $171,000 home here costs
$1,485per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $879. The real number is $606 higher every month — 69% 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 Vale against Allegany County and Maryland
| Measure | La Vale | Allegany County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,300 | $149,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,889 | $1,609 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.103% | 1.078% |
| Median gross rent | $923 | $786 |
| Population | 4,388 | 67,762 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Vale sits in Allegany County, which averages a high of 87.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.5°F in its coldest, with 39.22" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,042 cooling and 5,119 heating degree days, which is what sets the $196 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Allegany County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Allegany County
Full Allegany County cost breakdown · Every county in Maryland
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Vale?
A $171,000 home in La Vale, Maryland costs approximately $1,485 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $879 principal and interest, $157 property tax, $43 homeowners insurance, $264 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Vale?
La Vale has an effective property tax rate of 1.103%, based on a median home value of $171,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,889. That is higher than the Allegany County average of 1.078%.
What is the average home price in La Vale?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Vale, Maryland is $171,300, against $149,200 across Allegany County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Vale?
Median gross rent in La Vale is $923 a month, against $1,485 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 Vale — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maryland.
- 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.