Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Mercedes, Texas
A $108,000 home here costs
$1,090per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $555. The real number is $535 higher every month — 96% 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.
Mercedes against Hidalgo County and Texas
| Measure | Mercedes | Hidalgo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $107,700 | $124,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,885 | $2,187 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.750% | 1.764% |
| Median gross rent | $676 | $925 |
| Population | 16,449 | 880,921 |
The weather behind that power bill
Mercedes sits in Hidalgo County, which averages a high of 98.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 48.7°F in its coldest, with 23.63" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 4,269 cooling and 644 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hidalgo County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hidalgo County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Mercedes?
A $108,000 home in Mercedes, Texas costs approximately $1,090 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $555 principal and interest, $158 property tax, $71 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $90 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Mercedes?
Mercedes has an effective property tax rate of 1.750%, based on a median home value of $107,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,885. That is lower than the Hidalgo County average of 1.764%.
What is the average home price in Mercedes?
The median owner-occupied home value in Mercedes, Texas is $107,700, against $124,000 across Hidalgo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Mercedes?
Median gross rent in Mercedes is $676 a month, against $1,090 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 Mercedes — 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.