Cost to Own
United StatesVirginiaWise CountyWise Population 2,940 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Wise, Virginia

A $118,000 home here costs

$1,005

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $607. The real number is $398 higher every month — 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Wise median: $118,100
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, $94,400 borrowed $607
Property tax0.454% effective rate for Wise itself $45
Homeowners insuranceVirginia averages $1,199/yr (NAIC), or 0.295% of home value $29
Electricity17.61¢/kWh — Virginia residential average, EIA $158
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $98
Total monthly $1,005

Wise against Wise County and Virginia

MeasureWiseWise County
Median home value$118,100$116,500
Median property tax$536$658
Effective tax rate0.454%0.565%
Median gross rent$782$770
Population2,94035,727

The weather behind that power bill

Wise sits in Wise County, which averages a high of 80.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.6°F in its coldest, with 51.63" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 587 cooling and 4,797 heating degree days, which is what sets the $158 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Wise County

Full Wise County cost breakdown · Every county in Virginia

Common questions

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

A $118,000 home in Wise, Virginia costs approximately $1,005 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $607 principal and interest, $45 property tax, $29 homeowners insurance, $226 utilities and $98 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Wise?

Wise has an effective property tax rate of 0.454%, based on a median home value of $118,100 and median real estate taxes of $536. That is lower than the Wise County average of 0.565%.

What is the average home price in Wise?

The median owner-occupied home value in Wise, Virginia is $118,100, against $116,500 across Wise County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wise?

Median gross rent in Wise is $782 a month, against $1,005 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 Wise — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Virginia.
  • 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