Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Tappahannock, Virginia
A $204,000 home here costs
$1,609per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,049. The real number is $560 higher every month — 53% 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.
Tappahannock against Essex County and Virginia
| Measure | Tappahannock | Essex County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $204,200 | $228,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,363 | $1,312 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.667% | 0.574% |
| Median gross rent | $914 | $967 |
| Population | 1,865 | 10,604 |
The weather behind that power bill
Tappahannock sits in Essex County, which averages a high of 88.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 28.5°F in its coldest, with 45.19" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,416 cooling and 3,880 heating degree days, which is what sets the $158 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Essex County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Essex County
No other places of this size are published in Essex County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Tappahannock?
A $204,000 home in Tappahannock, Virginia costs approximately $1,609 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,049 principal and interest, $113 property tax, $50 homeowners insurance, $226 utilities and $170 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Tappahannock?
Tappahannock has an effective property tax rate of 0.667%, based on a median home value of $204,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,363. That is higher than the Essex County average of 0.574%.
What is the average home price in Tappahannock?
The median owner-occupied home value in Tappahannock, Virginia is $204,200, against $228,600 across Essex County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Tappahannock?
Median gross rent in Tappahannock is $914 a month, against $1,609 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 Tappahannock — 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.