Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in San Marcos, Texas
A $270,000 home here costs
$2,373per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,388. The real number is $985 higher every month — 71% 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.
San Marcos against Hays County and Texas
| Measure | San Marcos | Hays County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $269,700 | $371,400 |
| Median property tax | $4,377 | $6,420 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.623% | 1.729% |
| Median gross rent | $1,299 | $1,417 |
| Population | 68,920 | 256,429 |
San Marcos extends across 3 counties. Figures here use Hays County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
San Marcos sits in Hays County, which averages a high of 95.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.9°F in its coldest, with 35.7" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,709 cooling and 1,811 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hays County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hays County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in San Marcos?
A $270,000 home in San Marcos, Texas costs approximately $2,373 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,388 principal and interest, $365 property tax, $179 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $225 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in San Marcos?
San Marcos has an effective property tax rate of 1.623%, based on a median home value of $269,700 and median real estate taxes of $4,377. That is lower than the Hays County average of 1.729%.
What is the average home price in San Marcos?
The median owner-occupied home value in San Marcos, Texas is $269,700, against $371,400 across Hays County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Marcos?
Median gross rent in San Marcos is $1,299 a month, against $2,373 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 San Marcos — 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.