Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Rusk, Texas
A $154,000 home here costs
$1,493per 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 $64,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $840. The real number is $653 higher every month, 78% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cherokee 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.
Rusk against Cherokee County and Texas
| Measure | Rusk | Cherokee County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,500 | $160,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,158 | $1,941 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.406% | 1.211% |
| Median gross rent | $876 | $880 |
| Population | 5,332 | 51,143 |
The weather behind that power bill
Rusk sits in Cherokee County, which averages a high of 91.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.3°F in its coldest, with 50.12" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,269 cooling and 2,269 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cherokee County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cherokee County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Rusk 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 Rusk every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Rusk?
A $154,000 home in Rusk, Texas costs approximately $1,493 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $840 principal and interest, $180 property tax, $102 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $128 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Rusk?
Rusk has an effective property tax rate of 1.406%, based on a median home value of $153,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,158. That is higher than the Cherokee County average of 1.211%.
What is the average home price in Rusk?
The median owner-occupied home value in Rusk, Texas is $153,500, against $160,300 across Cherokee County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rusk?
Median gross rent in Rusk is $876 a month, against $1,493 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 Rusk?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Rusk, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $64,000 a year. That covers the full $1,493 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Rusk, 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.