Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in The Dalles, Oregon
A $318,000 home here costs
$2,411per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,635. The real number is $776 higher every month — 47% 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.
The Dalles against Wasco County and Oregon
| Measure | The Dalles | Wasco County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $318,400 | $332,500 |
| Median property tax | $3,013 | $2,784 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.946% | 0.837% |
| Median gross rent | $956 | $978 |
| Population | 15,973 | 26,603 |
The weather behind that power bill
The Dalles sits in Wasco County, which averages a high of 88.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.9°F in its coldest, with 13.65" of precipitation a year and 52% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 830 cooling and 4,677 heating degree days, which is what sets the $146 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Wasco County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Wasco County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in The Dalles?
A $318,000 home in The Dalles, Oregon costs approximately $2,411 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,635 principal and interest, $251 property tax, $46 homeowners insurance, $214 utilities and $265 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in The Dalles?
The Dalles has an effective property tax rate of 0.946%, based on a median home value of $318,400 and median real estate taxes of $3,013. That is higher than the Wasco County average of 0.837%.
What is the average home price in The Dalles?
The median owner-occupied home value in The Dalles, Oregon is $318,400, against $332,500 across Wasco County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in The Dalles?
Median gross rent in The Dalles is $956 a month, against $2,411 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 The Dalles — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Oregon.
- 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.