Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Palouse, Washington
A $261,000 home here costs
$2,040per 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 $87,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,423. The real number is $617 higher every month, 43% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Whitman County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Palouse from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,131 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 Whitman 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.
Palouse against Whitman County and Washington
| Measure | Palouse | Whitman County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $261,000 | $323,300 |
| Median property tax | $1,833 | $2,566 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.702% | 0.794% |
| Median gross rent | $933 | $1,002 |
| Population | 1,131 | 47,042 |
The weather behind that power bill
Palouse sits in Whitman County, which averages a high of 83.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.9°F in its coldest, with 17.53" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 284 cooling and 6,253 heating degree days, which is what sets the $140 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Whitman County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Whitman County
Full Whitman County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Palouse 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 Palouse every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Palouse I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Palouse?
A $261,000 home in Palouse, Washington costs approximately $2,040 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,423 principal and interest, $153 property tax, $39 homeowners insurance, $208 utilities and $218 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Palouse?
Palouse has an effective property tax rate of 0.702%, based on a median home value of $261,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,833. That is lower than the Whitman County average of 0.794%.
What is the average home price in Palouse?
The median owner-occupied home value in Palouse, Washington is $261,000, against $323,300 across Whitman County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Palouse?
Median gross rent in Palouse is $933 a month, against $2,040 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 Palouse?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Palouse, Washington at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $87,500 a year. That covers the full $2,040 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Palouse, 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.