Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Portsmouth, Ohio
A $95,000 home here costs
$945per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $488. The real number is $456 higher every month — 93% 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.
Portsmouth against Scioto County and Ohio
| Measure | Portsmouth | Scioto County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,000 | $132,300 |
| Median property tax | $1,180 | $1,417 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.242% | 1.071% |
| Median gross rent | $758 | $749 |
| Population | 17,919 | 73,118 |
The weather behind that power bill
Portsmouth sits in Scioto County, which averages a high of 86.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.4°F in its coldest, with 45.1" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,234 cooling and 4,321 heating degree days, which is what sets the $175 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Scioto County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Scioto County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Portsmouth?
A $95,000 home in Portsmouth, Ohio costs approximately $945 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $488 principal and interest, $98 property tax, $35 homeowners insurance, $243 utilities and $79 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Portsmouth?
Portsmouth has an effective property tax rate of 1.242%, based on a median home value of $95,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,180. That is higher than the Scioto County average of 1.071%.
What is the average home price in Portsmouth?
The median owner-occupied home value in Portsmouth, Ohio is $95,000, against $132,300 across Scioto County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Portsmouth?
Median gross rent in Portsmouth is $758 a month, against $945 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 Portsmouth — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Ohio.
- 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.