Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Marfa, Texas
A $218,000 home here costs
$1,842per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,121. The real number is $721 higher every month — 64% 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.
Marfa against Presidio County and Texas
| Measure | Marfa | Presidio County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,600 | $123,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,148 | $1,949 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.987% | 1.583% |
| Median gross rent | $395 | $445 |
| Population | 2,179 | 6,043 |
The weather behind that power bill
Marfa sits in Presidio County, which averages a high of 86.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.3°F in its coldest, with 18.98" of precipitation a year and 55% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 989 cooling and 3,068 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Presidio County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Presidio County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Marfa?
A $218,000 home in Marfa, Texas costs approximately $1,842 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,121 principal and interest, $179 property tax, $144 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $182 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Marfa?
Marfa has an effective property tax rate of 0.987%, based on a median home value of $217,600 and median real estate taxes of $2,148. That is lower than the Presidio County average of 1.583%.
What is the average home price in Marfa?
The median owner-occupied home value in Marfa, Texas is $217,600, against $123,100 across Presidio County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Marfa?
Median gross rent in Marfa is $395 a month, against $1,842 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 Marfa — 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.