Cost to Own
United StatesTexasCameron CountyPrimera Population 5,282 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Primera, Texas

A $147,000 home here costs

$1,372

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $756. The real number is $616 higher every month — 82% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Primera median: $147,200
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $117,600 borrowed $756
Property tax1.475% effective rate for Primera itself $181
Homeowners insuranceTexas averages $2,124/yr (NAIC), or 0.794% of home value $97
Electricity16.44¢/kWh — Texas residential average, EIA $148
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $123
Total monthly $1,372

Primera against Cameron County and Texas

MeasurePrimeraCameron County
Median home value$147,200$120,000
Median property tax$2,171$1,946
Effective tax rate1.475%1.622%
Median gross rent$1,113$899
Population5,282423,192

The weather behind that power bill

Primera 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 $148 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

Full Cameron County cost breakdown · Every county in Texas

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Primera?

A $147,000 home in Primera, Texas costs approximately $1,372 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $756 principal and interest, $181 property tax, $97 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $123 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Primera?

Primera has an effective property tax rate of 1.475%, based on a median home value of $147,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,171. That is lower than the Cameron County average of 1.622%.

What is the average home price in Primera?

The median owner-occupied home value in Primera, Texas is $147,200, against $120,000 across Cameron County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Primera?

Median gross rent in Primera is $1,113 a month, against $1,372 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 Primera — 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.

Full methodology