Cost to Own
United StatesMississippiLamar CountyWest Hattiesburg Population 6,509 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in West Hattiesburg, Mississippi

A $209,000 home here costs

$1,750

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,074. The real number is $676 higher every month — 63% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

West Hattiesburg median: $209,100
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $167,200 borrowed $1,074
Property tax0.569% effective rate for West Hattiesburg itself $99
Homeowners insuranceMississippi averages $1,766/yr (NAIC), or 1.087% of home value $189
Electricity16.16¢/kWh — Mississippi residential average, EIA $145
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $174
Total monthly $1,750

West Hattiesburg against Lamar County and Mississippi

MeasureWest HattiesburgLamar County
Median home value$209,100$218,700
Median property tax$1,189$1,459
Effective tax rate0.569%0.667%
Median gross rent$1,014$1,061
Population6,50965,081

The weather behind that power bill

West Hattiesburg sits in Lamar County, which averages a high of 91.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.1°F in its coldest, with 58.91" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,479 cooling and 1,920 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Lamar County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Lamar County

Full Lamar County cost breakdown · Every county in Mississippi

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in West Hattiesburg?

A $209,000 home in West Hattiesburg, Mississippi costs approximately $1,750 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,074 principal and interest, $99 property tax, $189 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $174 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in West Hattiesburg?

West Hattiesburg has an effective property tax rate of 0.569%, based on a median home value of $209,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,189. That is lower than the Lamar County average of 0.667%.

What is the average home price in West Hattiesburg?

The median owner-occupied home value in West Hattiesburg, Mississippi is $209,100, against $218,700 across Lamar County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West Hattiesburg?

Median gross rent in West Hattiesburg is $1,014 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 West Hattiesburg — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Mississippi.
  • 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.

Full methodology