Cost to Own
United StatesMassachusettsHampden CountyPalmer Town Population 12,372 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Palmer Town, Massachusetts

A $255,000 home here costs

$2,292

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,311. The real number is $981 higher every month — 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Palmer Town median: $255,000
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $204,000 borrowed $1,311
Property tax1.767% effective rate for Palmer Town itself $375
Homeowners insuranceMassachusetts averages $1,712/yr (NAIC), or 0.31% of home value $66
Electricity28.82¢/kWh — Massachusetts residential average, EIA $259
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $213
Total monthly $2,292

Palmer Town against Hampden County and Massachusetts

MeasurePalmer TownHampden County
Median home value$255,000$276,300
Median property tax$4,505$4,332
Effective tax rate1.767%1.568%
Median gross rent$1,041$1,105
Population12,372462,853

The weather behind that power bill

Palmer Town sits in Hampden County, which averages a high of 84.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.5°F in its coldest, with 45.16" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 677 cooling and 6,330 heating degree days, which is what sets the $259 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Hampden County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Hampden County

Full Hampden County cost breakdown · Every county in Massachusetts

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Palmer Town?

A $255,000 home in Palmer Town, Massachusetts costs approximately $2,292 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,311 principal and interest, $375 property tax, $66 homeowners insurance, $327 utilities and $213 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Palmer Town?

Palmer Town has an effective property tax rate of 1.767%, based on a median home value of $255,000 and median real estate taxes of $4,505. That is higher than the Hampden County average of 1.568%.

What is the average home price in Palmer Town?

The median owner-occupied home value in Palmer Town, Massachusetts is $255,000, against $276,300 across Hampden County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Palmer Town?

Median gross rent in Palmer Town is $1,041 a month, against $2,292 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 Palmer Town — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Massachusetts.
  • 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.

Full methodology