Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Most Expensive Counties to Own a Home Outright in America
The counties where a paid-off house still costs the most to keep. For retirees on a fixed income this figure matters more than the purchase price, because it never goes away and it rises with assessments.
Top 100
| # | County | State | Monthly if paid off | Median home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo County | CA | $2,607 | $1,494,500 | 0.613% |
| 2 | Marin County | CA | $2,574 | $1,390,000 | 0.719% |
| 3 | Santa Clara County | CA | $2,547 | $1,382,800 | 0.706% |
| 4 | San Francisco County | CA | $2,516 | $1,380,500 | 0.682% |
| 5 | New York County | NY | $2,339 | $1,108,900 | 0.902% |
| 6 | Teton County | WY | $2,297 | $1,371,900 | 0.398% |
| 7 | Falls Church city | VA | $2,145 | $1,005,400 | 0.995% |
| 8 | Nantucket County | MA | $2,090 | $1,387,000 | 0.215% |
| 9 | Alameda County | CA | $2,083 | $1,057,400 | 0.762% |
| 10 | Dukes County | MA | $1,991 | $1,104,100 | 0.498% |
| 11 | Santa Cruz County | CA | $1,896 | $1,015,200 | 0.621% |
| 12 | Nassau County | NY | $1,864 | $658,700 | 1.518% |
| 13 | Pitkin County | CO | $1,854 | $1,131,200 | 0.393% |
| 14 | Westchester County | NY | $1,843 | $638,400 | 1.567% |
| 15 | Western Connecticut Planning Region | CT | $1,836 | $625,400 | 1.475% |
| 16 | Arlington County | VA | $1,807 | $864,800 | 0.899% |
| 17 | Kings County | NY | $1,784 | $889,700 | 0.688% |
| 18 | Orange County | CA | $1,780 | $915,500 | 0.666% |
| 19 | Rockland County | NY | $1,765 | $564,200 | 1.773% |
| 20 | Contra Costa County | CA | $1,763 | $830,800 | 0.831% |
| 21 | Bergen County | NJ | $1,750 | $593,200 | 1.686% |
| 22 | Suffolk County | NY | $1,739 | $539,500 | 1.854% |
| 23 | Monmouth County | NJ | $1,721 | $566,500 | 1.765% |
| 24 | Morris County | NJ | $1,711 | $557,000 | 1.796% |
| 25 | Napa County | CA | $1,682 | $838,800 | 0.696% |
| 26 | Middlesex County | MA | $1,681 | $687,200 | 1.054% |
| 27 | Somerset County | NJ | $1,676 | $523,900 | 1.909% |
| 28 | Hunterdon County | NJ | $1,648 | $498,800 | 2.005% |
| 29 | Essex County | NJ | $1,644 | $494,400 | 2.023% |
| 30 | Putnam County | NY | $1,642 | $448,000 | 2.232% |
| 31 | Union County | NJ | $1,638 | $488,800 | 2.046% |
| 32 | Norfolk County | MA | $1,626 | $649,400 | 1.090% |
| 33 | San Benito County | CA | $1,616 | $751,500 | 0.809% |
| 34 | San Diego County | CA | $1,611 | $791,600 | 0.700% |
| 35 | Hudson County | NJ | $1,610 | $508,600 | 1.851% |
| 36 | Sonoma County | CA | $1,602 | $779,000 | 0.716% |
| 37 | Los Angeles County | CA | $1,594 | $783,300 | 0.694% |
| 38 | San Luis Obispo County | CA | $1,591 | $777,200 | 0.704% |
| 39 | Honolulu County | HI | $1,586 | $873,000 | 0.284% |
| 40 | Queens County | NY | $1,585 | $699,200 | 0.877% |
| 41 | Passaic County | NJ | $1,584 | $439,400 | 2.276% |
| 42 | Monroe County | FL | $1,574 | $723,800 | 0.545% |
| 43 | Fairfax County | VA | $1,571 | $699,700 | 1.011% |
| 44 | Ventura County | CA | $1,570 | $768,400 | 0.693% |
| 45 | Travis County | TX | $1,568 | $487,600 | 1.535% |
| 46 | King County | WA | $1,564 | $811,200 | 0.836% |
| 47 | Middlesex County | NJ | $1,558 | $439,300 | 2.204% |
| 48 | Alexandria city | VA | $1,551 | $696,800 | 0.987% |
| 49 | Richmond County | NY | $1,537 | $658,500 | 0.922% |
| 50 | Greater Bridgeport Planning Region | CT | $1,505 | $397,000 | 2.154% |
| 51 | Collin County | TX | $1,504 | $447,600 | 1.660% |
| 52 | Santa Barbara County | CA | $1,500 | $735,700 | 0.662% |
| 53 | Loudoun County | VA | $1,498 | $701,000 | 0.882% |
| 54 | Fairfax city | VA | $1,490 | $677,400 | 0.944% |
| 55 | Essex County | MA | $1,487 | $584,000 | 1.073% |
| 56 | Maui County | HI | $1,486 | $858,600 | 0.168% |
| 57 | Placer County | CA | $1,485 | $658,800 | 0.850% |
| 58 | Monterey County | CA | $1,480 | $723,100 | 0.661% |
| 59 | Newport County | RI | $1,480 | $559,700 | 0.955% |
| 60 | Kauai County | HI | $1,479 | $817,900 | 0.225% |
| 61 | Bristol County | RI | $1,460 | $468,000 | 1.385% |
| 62 | Summit County | UT | $1,458 | $1,000,400 | 0.347% |
| 63 | Howard County | MD | $1,457 | $576,700 | 1.182% |
| 64 | Suffolk County | MA | $1,448 | $680,700 | 0.666% |
| 65 | Kendall County | TX | $1,439 | $489,800 | 1.203% |
| 66 | Rockingham County | NH | $1,439 | $461,400 | 1.628% |
| 67 | Williamson County | TX | $1,425 | $414,600 | 1.707% |
| 68 | Orange County | NY | $1,423 | $361,100 | 2.344% |
| 69 | Plymouth County | MA | $1,416 | $513,000 | 1.237% |
| 70 | Lake County | IL | $1,411 | $326,600 | 2.677% |
| 71 | Eagle County | CO | $1,407 | $814,700 | 0.410% |
| 72 | Denton County | TX | $1,397 | $403,400 | 1.721% |
| 73 | DuPage County | IL | $1,393 | $374,100 | 2.094% |
| 74 | Mercer County | NJ | $1,389 | $351,000 | 2.508% |
| 75 | Summit County | CO | $1,389 | $850,700 | 0.310% |
| 76 | El Dorado County | CA | $1,376 | $640,500 | 0.704% |
| 77 | Montgomery County | MD | $1,375 | $615,200 | 0.868% |
| 78 | District of Columbia | DC | $1,355 | $724,600 | 0.577% |
| 79 | Sussex County | NJ | $1,352 | $342,800 | 2.468% |
| 80 | Nevada County | CA | $1,335 | $602,800 | 0.741% |
| 81 | Yolo County | CA | $1,334 | $593,800 | 0.769% |
| 82 | Washington County | RI | $1,334 | $469,800 | 1.054% |
| 83 | Boulder County | CO | $1,334 | $713,900 | 0.535% |
| 84 | Dutchess County | NY | $1,327 | $368,100 | 1.963% |
| 85 | Bronx County | NY | $1,324 | $517,000 | 1.027% |
| 86 | Delaware County | OH | $1,324 | $419,500 | 1.644% |
| 87 | Rockwall County | TX | $1,321 | $386,000 | 1.643% |
| 88 | Fort Bend County | TX | $1,320 | $350,300 | 1.988% |
| 89 | Solano County | CA | $1,317 | $589,600 | 0.748% |
| 90 | Chester County | PA | $1,317 | $461,800 | 1.341% |
| 91 | Hays County | TX | $1,306 | $371,400 | 1.729% |
| 92 | Warren County | NJ | $1,305 | $323,100 | 2.524% |
| 93 | Hillsborough County | NH | $1,297 | $385,500 | 1.762% |
| 94 | Barnstable County | MA | $1,297 | $575,900 | 0.710% |
| 95 | Burlington County | NJ | $1,288 | $326,700 | 2.419% |
| 96 | Chittenden County | VT | $1,288 | $404,500 | 1.614% |
| 97 | Williamson County | TN | $1,284 | $673,700 | 0.429% |
| 98 | Douglas County | CO | $1,279 | $674,000 | 0.550% |
| 99 | Kendall County | IL | $1,278 | $298,900 | 2.528% |
| 100 | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | CT | $1,274 | $359,000 | 1.762% |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 6.66%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.