Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Washington, Missouri
A $218,000 home here costs
$1,750per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,121. The real number is $630 higher every month — 56% 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.
Washington against Franklin County and Missouri
| Measure | Washington | Franklin County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,500 | $214,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,719 | $1,774 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.790% | 0.826% |
| Median gross rent | $846 | $874 |
| Population | 14,948 | 105,316 |
The weather behind that power bill
Washington sits in Franklin County, which averages a high of 90.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.9°F in its coldest, with 44.96" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,485 cooling and 4,400 heating degree days, which is what sets the $123 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Franklin County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Franklin County
Full Franklin County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Washington?
A $218,000 home in Washington, Missouri costs approximately $1,750 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,121 principal and interest, $144 property tax, $114 homeowners insurance, $191 utilities and $182 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Washington?
Washington has an effective property tax rate of 0.790%, based on a median home value of $217,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,719. That is lower than the Franklin County average of 0.826%.
What is the average home price in Washington?
The median owner-occupied home value in Washington, Missouri is $217,500, against $214,900 across Franklin County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Washington?
Median gross rent in Washington is $846 a month, against $1,750 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 Washington — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Missouri.
- 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.