Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Port Isabel, Texas
A $121,000 home here costs
$1,267per 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 $54,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $660. The real number is $608 higher every month, 92% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cameron 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.
Port Isabel against Cameron County and Texas
| Measure | Port Isabel | Cameron County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,900 | $120,000 |
| Median property tax | $2,211 | $1,946 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.829% | 1.622% |
| Median gross rent | $843 | $899 |
| Population | 5,098 | 423,192 |
The weather behind that power bill
Port Isabel sits in Cameron County, which averages a high of 93.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 51.9°F in its coldest, with 23.25" of precipitation a year and 43% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 4,140 cooling and 527 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cameron County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cameron County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Port Isabel 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 Isabel every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Port Isabel I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Port Isabel?
A $121,000 home in Port Isabel, Texas costs approximately $1,267 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $660 principal and interest, $184 property tax, $80 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $101 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Port Isabel?
Port Isabel has an effective property tax rate of 1.829%, based on a median home value of $120,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,211. That is higher than the Cameron County average of 1.622%.
What is the average home price in Port Isabel?
The median owner-occupied home value in Port Isabel, Texas is $120,900, against $120,000 across Cameron County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Port Isabel?
Median gross rent in Port Isabel is $843 a month, against $1,267 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 Isabel?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Port Isabel, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $54,500 a year. That covers the full $1,267 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Port Isabel, 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.