Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Merlin, Oregon
A $419,000 home here costs
$3,047per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $130,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,284. The real number is $762 higher every month, 33% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Josephine County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Merlin from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,355 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Josephine County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Merlin against Josephine County and Oregon
| Measure | Merlin | Josephine County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $419,100 | $383,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,731 | $2,023 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.413% | 0.528% |
| Median gross rent | $1,090 | $1,157 |
| Population | 1,355 | 88,069 |
The weather behind that power bill
Merlin sits in Josephine County, which averages a high of 76.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.3°F in its coldest, with 40.66" of precipitation a year and 50% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 276 cooling and 6,116 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Josephine County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Josephine County
Full Josephine County cost breakdown · Every county in Oregon
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Merlin averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Merlin every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Merlin I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Merlin?
A $419,000 home in Merlin, Oregon costs approximately $3,047 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,284 principal and interest, $144 property tax, $60 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $349 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Merlin?
Merlin has an effective property tax rate of 0.413%, based on a median home value of $419,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,731. That is lower than the Josephine County average of 0.528%.
What is the average home price in Merlin?
The median owner-occupied home value in Merlin, Oregon is $419,100, against $383,100 across Josephine County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Merlin?
Median gross rent in Merlin is $1,090 a month, against $3,047 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Merlin?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Merlin, Oregon at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $130,500 a year. That covers the full $3,047 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Merlin, 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.