Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in West Ocean City, Maryland
A $419,000 home here costs
$3,094per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,154. The real number is $940 higher every month — 44% 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 Ocean City against Worcester County and Maryland
| Measure | West Ocean City | Worcester County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $418,700 | $348,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,671 | $2,629 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.638% | 0.755% |
| Median gross rent | $1,546 | $1,180 |
| Population | 5,124 | 53,279 |
The weather behind that power bill
West Ocean City sits in Worcester County, which averages a high of 89.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.2°F in its coldest, with 47.38" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,588 cooling and 3,631 heating degree days, which is what sets the $196 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Worcester County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Worcester County
Full Worcester County cost breakdown · Every county in Maryland
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in West Ocean City?
A $419,000 home in West Ocean City, Maryland costs approximately $3,094 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,154 principal and interest, $223 property tax, $105 homeowners insurance, $264 utilities and $349 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in West Ocean City?
West Ocean City has an effective property tax rate of 0.638%, based on a median home value of $418,700 and median real estate taxes of $2,671. That is lower than the Worcester County average of 0.755%.
What is the average home price in West Ocean City?
The median owner-occupied home value in West Ocean City, Maryland is $418,700, against $348,100 across Worcester County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West Ocean City?
Median gross rent in West Ocean City is $1,546 a month, against $3,094 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 Ocean City — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Maryland.
- 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.