Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Steep Falls, Maine
A $241,000 home here costs
$2,089per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $89,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,314. The real number is $775 higher every month, 59% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cumberland County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Steep Falls from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,720 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Cumberland County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Steep Falls against Cumberland County and Maine
| Measure | Steep Falls | Cumberland County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $241,000 | $411,400 |
| Median property tax | $3,091 | $4,577 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.283% | 1.113% |
| Median gross rent | $974 | $1,492 |
| Population | 1,720 | 305,940 |
The weather behind that power bill
Steep Falls sits in Cumberland County, which averages a high of 79.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.6°F in its coldest, with 48.12" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 446 cooling and 6,795 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cumberland County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cumberland County
Full Cumberland County cost breakdown · Every county in Maine
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Steep Falls averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Steep Falls every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Steep Falls I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Steep Falls?
A $241,000 home in Steep Falls, Maine costs approximately $2,089 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,314 principal and interest, $258 property tax, $71 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $201 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Steep Falls?
Steep Falls has an effective property tax rate of 1.283%, based on a median home value of $241,000 and median real estate taxes of $3,091. That is higher than the Cumberland County average of 1.113%.
What is the average home price in Steep Falls?
The median owner-occupied home value in Steep Falls, Maine is $241,000, against $411,400 across Cumberland County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Steep Falls?
Median gross rent in Steep Falls is $974 a month, against $2,089 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Steep Falls?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Steep Falls, Maine at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $89,500 a year. That covers the full $2,089 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Steep Falls, 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.