Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. James, Maryland
A $391,000 home here costs
$2,924per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,010. The real number is $914 higher every month — 45% 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.
St. James against Washington County and Maryland
| Measure | St. James | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $390,800 | $275,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,721 | $2,444 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.696% | 0.886% |
| Median gross rent | $1,252 | $1,100 |
| Population | 4,581 | 155,033 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. James sits in Washington County, which averages a high of 87.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 25.3°F in its coldest, with 35.6" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,248 cooling and 4,716 heating degree days, which is what sets the $196 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Washington County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Washington County
Full Washington County cost breakdown · Every county in Maryland
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. James?
A $391,000 home in St. James, Maryland costs approximately $2,924 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,010 principal and interest, $227 property tax, $98 homeowners insurance, $264 utilities and $326 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. James?
St. James has an effective property tax rate of 0.696%, based on a median home value of $390,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,721. That is lower than the Washington County average of 0.886%.
What is the average home price in St. James?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. James, Maryland is $390,800, against $275,900 across Washington County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. James?
Median gross rent in St. James is $1,252 a month, against $2,924 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 St. James — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maryland.
- 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.