Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sterling, Alaska
A $346,000 home here costs
$2,703per 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 $116,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,886. The real number is $817 higher every month, 43% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Kenai Peninsula Borough with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Sterling against Kenai Peninsula Borough and Alaska
| Measure | Sterling | Kenai Peninsula Borough |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $346,100 | $297,500 |
| Median property tax | $2,378 | $1,974 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.687% | 0.664% |
| Median gross rent | $1,095 | $1,163 |
| Population | 6,776 | 59,843 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sterling sits in Kenai Peninsula Borough, which averages a high of 63.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.4°F in its coldest, with 18.27" of precipitation a year and 48% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1 cooling and 10,693 heating degree days, which is what sets the $170 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Kenai Peninsula Borough , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Kenai Peninsula Borough
Full Kenai Peninsula Borough cost breakdown · Every county in Alaska
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Sterling 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 Sterling every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Sterling I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Sterling?
A $346,000 home in Sterling, Alaska costs approximately $2,703 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,886 principal and interest, $198 property tax, $93 homeowners insurance, $238 utilities and $288 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sterling?
Sterling has an effective property tax rate of 0.687%, based on a median home value of $346,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,378. That is higher than the Kenai Peninsula Borough average of 0.664%.
What is the average home price in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sterling, Alaska is $346,100, against $297,500 across Kenai Peninsula Borough.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sterling?
Median gross rent in Sterling is $1,095 a month, against $2,703 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 Sterling?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Sterling, Alaska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $116,000 a year. That covers the full $2,703 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sterling, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Alaska.
- 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.