Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in South Paris, Maine
A $186,000 home here costs
$1,663per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $956. The real number is $707 higher every month — 74% 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.
South Paris against Oxford County and Maine
| Measure | South Paris | Oxford County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,300 | $192,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,055 | $2,103 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.103% | 1.094% |
| Median gross rent | $585 | $807 |
| Population | 2,570 | 58,728 |
The weather behind that power bill
South Paris sits in Oxford County, which averages a high of 79.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 6.5°F in its coldest, with 47.23" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 264 cooling and 8,287 heating degree days, which is what sets the $257 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Oxford County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Oxford County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in South Paris?
A $186,000 home in South Paris, Maine costs approximately $1,663 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $956 principal and interest, $171 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $325 utilities and $155 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in South Paris?
South Paris has an effective property tax rate of 1.103%, based on a median home value of $186,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,055. That is in line with the Oxford County average of 1.094%.
What is the average home price in South Paris?
The median owner-occupied home value in South Paris, Maine is $186,300, against $192,300 across Oxford County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South Paris?
Median gross rent in South Paris is $585 a month, against $1,663 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 South Paris — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maine.
- 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.