Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Watson, Louisiana
A $245,000 home here costs
$1,996per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,260. The real number is $736 higher every month — 58% 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.
Watson against Livingston Parish and Louisiana
| Measure | Watson | Livingston Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $245,000 | $218,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,387 | $1,079 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.566% | 0.493% |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,102 |
| Population | 1,503 | 145,583 |
The weather behind that power bill
Watson sits in Livingston Parish, which averages a high of 92.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.6°F in its coldest, with 61.94" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,818 cooling and 1,534 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Livingston Parish — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Livingston Parish
Full Livingston Parish cost breakdown · Every county in Louisiana
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Watson?
A $245,000 home in Watson, Louisiana costs approximately $1,996 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,260 principal and interest, $116 property tax, $221 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $204 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Watson?
Watson has an effective property tax rate of 0.566%, based on a median home value of $245,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,387. That is higher than the Livingston Parish average of 0.493%.
What is the average home price in Watson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Watson, Louisiana is $245,000, against $218,900 across Livingston Parish.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Watson?
Rent data is not published for Watson at this level of detail.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Watson — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Louisiana.
- 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.