Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. James, New York
A $633,000 home here costs
$5,092per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $3,254. The real number is $1,837 higher every month — 56% 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 Suffolk County and New York
| Measure | St. James | Suffolk County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $632,900 | $539,500 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $10,001 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.580% | 1.854% |
| Median gross rent | $2,192 | $2,190 |
| Population | 13,680 | 1,525,680 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. James sits in Suffolk County, which averages a high of 83.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.0°F in its coldest, with 47.22" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 945 cooling and 4,906 heating degree days, which is what sets the $269 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Suffolk County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Suffolk County
Full Suffolk County cost breakdown · Every county in New York
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. James?
A $633,000 home in St. James, New York costs approximately $5,092 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $3,254 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $139 homeowners insurance, $337 utilities and $528 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. James?
St. James has an effective property tax rate of 1.580%, based on a median home value of $632,900 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Suffolk County average of 1.854%.
What is the average home price in St. James?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. James, New York is $632,900, against $539,500 across Suffolk County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. James?
Median gross rent in St. James is $2,192 a month, against $5,092 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 New York.
- 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.