Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Watertown, New York
A $150,000 home here costs
$1,489per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $771. The real number is $718 higher every month — 93% 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.
Watertown against Jefferson County and New York
| Measure | Watertown | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,800 | $181,000 |
| Median property tax | $2,675 | $2,851 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.786% | 1.575% |
| Median gross rent | $933 | $1,214 |
| Population | 24,574 | 116,130 |
The weather behind that power bill
Watertown sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 79.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.0°F in its coldest, with 37.07" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 386 cooling and 7,524 heating degree days, which is what sets the $269 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Jefferson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Jefferson County
Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in New York
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Watertown?
A $150,000 home in Watertown, New York costs approximately $1,489 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $771 principal and interest, $223 property tax, $33 homeowners insurance, $337 utilities and $125 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Watertown?
Watertown has an effective property tax rate of 1.786%, based on a median home value of $149,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,675. That is higher than the Jefferson County average of 1.575%.
What is the average home price in Watertown?
The median owner-occupied home value in Watertown, New York is $149,800, against $181,000 across Jefferson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Watertown?
Median gross rent in Watertown is $933 a month, against $1,489 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 Watertown — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for New York.
- 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.