Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in University Place, Washington
A $578,000 home here costs
$4,242per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,972. The real number is $1,271 higher every month — 43% 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.
University Place against Pierce County and Washington
| Measure | University Place | Pierce County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $578,100 | $484,400 |
| Median property tax | $6,011 | $4,555 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.040% | 0.940% |
| Median gross rent | $1,664 | $1,722 |
| Population | 34,850 | 924,106 |
The weather behind that power bill
University Place sits in Pierce County, which averages a high of 76.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.9°F in its coldest, with 45.13" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 120 cooling and 5,397 heating degree days, which is what sets the $134 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Pierce County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Pierce County
Full Pierce County cost breakdown · Every county in Washington
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in University Place?
A $578,000 home in University Place, Washington costs approximately $4,242 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,972 principal and interest, $501 property tax, $86 homeowners insurance, $202 utilities and $482 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in University Place?
University Place has an effective property tax rate of 1.040%, based on a median home value of $578,100 and median real estate taxes of $6,011. That is higher than the Pierce County average of 0.940%.
What is the average home price in University Place?
The median owner-occupied home value in University Place, Washington is $578,100, against $484,400 across Pierce County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in University Place?
Median gross rent in University Place is $1,664 a month, against $4,242 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 University Place — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Washington.
- 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.