Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Port Townsend, Washington
A $503,000 home here costs
$3,591per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,586. The real number is $1,006 higher every month — 39% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Port Townsend against Jefferson County and Washington
| Measure | Port Townsend | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $502,500 | $495,100 |
| Median property tax | $3,706 | $3,596 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.738% | 0.726% |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 | $1,291 |
| Population | 10,290 | 33,313 |
The weather behind that power bill
Port Townsend sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 69.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.0°F in its coldest, with 29.41" of precipitation a year and 50% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 23 cooling and 6,015 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Jefferson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Jefferson County
Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Port Townsend?
A $503,000 home in Port Townsend, Washington costs approximately $3,591 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,586 principal and interest, $309 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $419 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Port Townsend?
Port Townsend has an effective property tax rate of 0.738%, based on a median home value of $502,500 and median real estate taxes of $3,706. That is higher than the Jefferson County average of 0.726%.
What is the average home price in Port Townsend?
The median owner-occupied home value in Port Townsend, Washington is $502,500, against $495,100 across Jefferson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Port Townsend?
Median gross rent in Port Townsend is $1,151 a month, against $3,591 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 Port Townsend — 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.