Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Port Aransas, Texas
A $490,000 home here costs
$4,010per 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 $172,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,671. The real number is $1,339 higher every month, 50% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Nueces County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Port Aransas from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,141 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 Nueces 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.
Port Aransas against Nueces County and Texas
| Measure | Port Aransas | Nueces County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $490,200 | $194,700 |
| Median property tax | $4,366 | $3,268 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.891% | 1.678% |
| Median gross rent | $2,226 | $1,224 |
| Population | 3,141 | 352,829 |
The weather behind that power bill
Port Aransas sits in Nueces County, which averages a high of 95.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 48.0°F in its coldest, with 31.74" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,737 cooling and 801 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Nueces County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Nueces County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Port Aransas 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 Port Aransas every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
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Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Port Aransas?
A $490,000 home in Port Aransas, Texas costs approximately $4,010 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,671 principal and interest, $364 property tax, $324 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $408 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Port Aransas?
Port Aransas has an effective property tax rate of 0.891%, based on a median home value of $490,200 and median real estate taxes of $4,366. That is lower than the Nueces County average of 1.678%.
What is the average home price in Port Aransas?
The median owner-occupied home value in Port Aransas, Texas is $490,200, against $194,700 across Nueces County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Port Aransas?
Median gross rent in Port Aransas is $2,226 a month, against $4,010 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 Port Aransas?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Port Aransas, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $172,000 a year. That covers the full $4,010 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Port Aransas, 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.