Cost to Own
United StatesRhode IslandWashington CountyWesterly Population 18,528 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Westerly, Rhode Island

A $400,000 home here costs

$3,188

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,056. The real number is $1,131 higher every month — 55% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Westerly median: $400,200
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, $320,000 borrowed $2,056
Property tax0.891% effective rate for Westerly itself $297
Homeowners insuranceRhode Island averages $1,900/yr (NAIC), or 0.504% of home value $168
Electricity29.46¢/kWh — Rhode Island residential average, EIA $265
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $333
Total monthly $3,188

Westerly against Washington County and Rhode Island

MeasureWesterlyWashington County
Median home value$400,200$469,800
Median property tax$3,566$4,954
Effective tax rate0.891%1.054%
Median gross rent$1,243$1,303
Population18,528130,073

The weather behind that power bill

Westerly sits in Washington County, which averages a high of 80.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.3°F in its coldest, with 51.57" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 442 cooling and 6,173 heating degree days, which is what sets the $265 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Washington County

Full Washington County cost breakdown · Every county in Rhode Island

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Westerly?

A $400,000 home in Westerly, Rhode Island costs approximately $3,188 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,056 principal and interest, $297 property tax, $168 homeowners insurance, $333 utilities and $333 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Westerly?

Westerly has an effective property tax rate of 0.891%, based on a median home value of $400,200 and median real estate taxes of $3,566. That is lower than the Washington County average of 1.054%.

What is the average home price in Westerly?

The median owner-occupied home value in Westerly, Rhode Island is $400,200, against $469,800 across Washington County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Westerly?

Median gross rent in Westerly is $1,243 a month, against $3,188 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 Westerly — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Rhode Island.
  • 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