Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lake Stevens, Washington
A $594,000 home here costs
$4,242per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,054. The real number is $1,188 higher every month — 39% 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.
Lake Stevens against Snohomish County and Washington
| Measure | Lake Stevens | Snohomish County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $593,900 | $644,600 |
| Median property tax | $4,835 | $5,121 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.814% | 0.794% |
| Median gross rent | $2,189 | $1,866 |
| Population | 39,500 | 834,648 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lake Stevens sits in Snohomish County, which averages a high of 73.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 36.0°F in its coldest, with 33.37" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 97 cooling and 5,039 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Snohomish County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Snohomish County
Full Snohomish County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lake Stevens?
A $594,000 home in Lake Stevens, Washington costs approximately $4,242 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,054 principal and interest, $403 property tax, $88 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $495 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lake Stevens?
Lake Stevens has an effective property tax rate of 0.814%, based on a median home value of $593,900 and median real estate taxes of $4,835. That is higher than the Snohomish County average of 0.794%.
What is the average home price in Lake Stevens?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lake Stevens, Washington is $593,900, against $644,600 across Snohomish County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lake Stevens?
Median gross rent in Lake Stevens is $2,189 a month, against $4,242 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 Lake Stevens — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Washington.
- 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.