Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sterling, Virginia
A $508,000 home here costs
$3,931per 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 $168,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,770. The real number is $1,161 higher every month, 42% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Loudoun County 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 Loudoun County and Virginia
| Measure | Sterling | Loudoun County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $508,400 | $701,000 |
| Median property tax | $4,359 | $6,186 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.857% | 0.882% |
| Median gross rent | $1,979 | $2,317 |
| Population | 31,251 | 427,082 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sterling sits in Loudoun County, which averages a high of 86.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.5°F in its coldest, with 43.78" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,050 cooling and 4,943 heating degree days, which is what sets the $182 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Loudoun County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Loudoun County
Full Loudoun County cost breakdown · Every county in Virginia
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 $508,000 home in Sterling, Virginia costs approximately $3,931 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $2,770 principal and interest, $363 property tax, $125 homeowners insurance, $250 utilities and $423 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sterling?
Sterling has an effective property tax rate of 0.857%, based on a median home value of $508,400 and median real estate taxes of $4,359. That is lower than the Loudoun County average of 0.882%.
What is the average home price in Sterling?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sterling, Virginia is $508,400, against $701,000 across Loudoun County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sterling?
Median gross rent in Sterling is $1,979 a month, against $3,931 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, Virginia at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $168,500 a year. That covers the full $3,931 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 Virginia.
- 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.