Cost to Own
United StatesWashingtonMason CountyShelton Population 10,619 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Shelton, Washington

A $296,000 home here costs

$2,233

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,522. The real number is $712 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Shelton median: $296,100
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, $236,800 borrowed $1,522
Property tax0.886% effective rate for Shelton itself $219
Homeowners insuranceWashington averages $1,001/yr (NAIC), or 0.178% of home value $44
Electricity14.95¢/kWh — Washington residential average, EIA $134
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $247
Total monthly $2,233

Shelton against Mason County and Washington

MeasureSheltonMason County
Median home value$296,100$377,400
Median property tax$2,622$2,833
Effective tax rate0.886%0.751%
Median gross rent$1,298$1,205
Population10,61966,968

The weather behind that power bill

Shelton sits in Mason County, which averages a high of 75.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.2°F in its coldest, with 91.96" of precipitation a year and 52% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 123 cooling and 5,106 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Mason County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Mason County

Full Mason County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington

Common questions

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

A $296,000 home in Shelton, Washington costs approximately $2,233 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,522 principal and interest, $219 property tax, $44 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $247 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Shelton?

Shelton has an effective property tax rate of 0.886%, based on a median home value of $296,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,622. That is higher than the Mason County average of 0.751%.

What is the average home price in Shelton?

The median owner-occupied home value in Shelton, Washington is $296,100, against $377,400 across Mason County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shelton?

Median gross rent in Shelton is $1,298 a month, against $2,233 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 Shelton — 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.

Full methodology