Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in West Columbia, Texas
A $138,000 home here costs
$1,338per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $709. The real number is $629 higher every month — 89% 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.
West Columbia against Brazoria County and Texas
| Measure | West Columbia | Brazoria County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $138,200 | $276,800 |
| Median property tax | $2,484 | $4,831 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.797% | 1.745% |
| Median gross rent | $1,011 | $1,410 |
| Population | 3,631 | 381,650 |
The weather behind that power bill
West Columbia sits in Brazoria County, which averages a high of 91.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 46.8°F in its coldest, with 53.37" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,213 cooling and 1,044 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Brazoria County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Brazoria County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in West Columbia?
A $138,000 home in West Columbia, Texas costs approximately $1,338 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $709 principal and interest, $207 property tax, $91 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $115 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in West Columbia?
West Columbia has an effective property tax rate of 1.797%, based on a median home value of $138,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,484. That is higher than the Brazoria County average of 1.745%.
What is the average home price in West Columbia?
The median owner-occupied home value in West Columbia, Texas is $138,200, against $276,800 across Brazoria County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West Columbia?
Median gross rent in West Columbia is $1,011 a month, against $1,338 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 West Columbia — 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.