Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Universal City, Texas
A $249,000 home here costs
$2,419per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $103,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,379. The real number is $1,040 higher every month, 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Bexar 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.
Universal City against Bexar County and Texas
| Measure | Universal City | Bexar County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $249,400 | $244,100 |
| Median property tax | $5,117 | $4,429 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.052% | 1.814% |
| Median gross rent | $1,213 | $1,290 |
| Population | 19,853 | 2,037,344 |
Universal City extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Bexar County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Universal City sits in Bexar County, which averages a high of 97.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.3°F in its coldest, with 31.27" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,144 cooling and 1,446 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Bexar County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Bexar County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Universal City 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 Universal City every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Universal City I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Universal City?
A $249,000 home in Universal City, Texas costs approximately $2,419 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $1,379 principal and interest, $426 property tax, $165 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $208 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Universal City?
Universal City has an effective property tax rate of 2.052%, based on a median home value of $249,400 and median real estate taxes of $5,117. That is higher than the Bexar County average of 1.814%.
What is the average home price in Universal City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Universal City, Texas is $249,400, against $244,100 across Bexar County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Universal City?
Median gross rent in Universal City is $1,213 a month, against $2,419 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 Universal City?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Universal City, Texas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $103,500 a year. That covers the full $2,419 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Universal City, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Texas.
- 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.