Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Moses Lake, Washington
A $278,000 home here costs
$2,201per 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 $94,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,516. The real number is $685 higher every month, 45% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Grant County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Moses Lake against Grant County and Washington
| Measure | Moses Lake | Grant County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $278,100 | $275,700 |
| Median property tax | $2,454 | $2,268 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.882% | 0.823% |
| Median gross rent | $1,203 | $1,059 |
| Population | 25,594 | 100,428 |
The weather behind that power bill
Moses Lake sits in Grant County, which averages a high of 89.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.5°F in its coldest, with 7.58" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 843 cooling and 5,753 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Grant County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Grant County
Full Grant County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Moses Lake 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 Moses Lake every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Moses Lake I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Moses Lake?
A $278,000 home in Moses Lake, Washington costs approximately $2,201 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,516 principal and interest, $204 property tax, $41 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $232 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Moses Lake?
Moses Lake has an effective property tax rate of 0.882%, based on a median home value of $278,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,454. That is higher than the Grant County average of 0.823%.
What is the average home price in Moses Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Moses Lake, Washington is $278,100, against $275,700 across Grant County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Moses Lake?
Median gross rent in Moses Lake is $1,203 a month, against $2,201 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 Moses Lake?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Moses Lake, Washington at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $94,500 a year. That covers the full $2,201 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Moses Lake, 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.