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.
Where does yours land?
Every county in America is somewhere on this scale, including the one you live in.
Top 100
| # | County | State | Monthly if paid off | Median home | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Mateo County | CA | $2,478 | $1,494,500 | 0.613% |
| 2 | Marin County | CA | $2,444 | $1,390,000 | 0.719% |
| 3 | Santa Clara County | CA | $2,417 | $1,382,800 | 0.706% |
| 4 | San Francisco County | CA | $2,386 | $1,380,500 | 0.682% |
| 5 | Teton County | WY | $2,288 | $1,371,900 | 0.398% |
| 6 | New York County | NY | $2,240 | $1,108,900 | 0.902% |
| 7 | Falls Church city | VA | $2,168 | $1,005,400 | 0.995% |
| 8 | Nantucket County | MA | $2,004 | $1,387,000 | 0.215% |
| 9 | Alameda County | CA | $1,954 | $1,057,400 | 0.762% |
| 10 | Dukes County | MA | $1,905 | $1,104,100 | 0.498% |
| 11 | Arlington County | VA | $1,830 | $864,800 | 0.899% |
| 12 | Pitkin County | CO | $1,824 | $1,131,200 | 0.393% |
| 13 | Nassau County | NY | $1,766 | $658,700 | 1.518% |
| 14 | Santa Cruz County | CA | $1,766 | $1,015,200 | 0.621% |
| 15 | Western Connecticut Planning Region | CT | $1,758 | $625,400 | 1.475% |
| 16 | Westchester County | NY | $1,745 | $638,400 | 1.567% |
| 17 | Bergen County | NJ | $1,708 | $593,200 | 1.686% |
| 18 | Kings County | NY | $1,686 | $889,700 | 0.688% |
| 19 | Monmouth County | NJ | $1,679 | $566,500 | 1.765% |
| 20 | Morris County | NJ | $1,669 | $557,000 | 1.796% |
| 21 | Rockland County | NY | $1,667 | $564,200 | 1.773% |
| 22 | Orange County | CA | $1,650 | $915,500 | 0.666% |
| 23 | Suffolk County | NY | $1,641 | $539,500 | 1.854% |
| 24 | Contra Costa County | CA | $1,633 | $830,800 | 0.831% |
| 25 | Somerset County | NJ | $1,633 | $523,900 | 1.909% |
| 26 | Hunterdon County | NJ | $1,606 | $498,800 | 2.005% |
| 27 | Monroe County | FL | $1,603 | $723,800 | 0.545% |
| 28 | Essex County | NJ | $1,601 | $494,400 | 2.023% |
| 29 | Middlesex County | MA | $1,596 | $687,200 | 1.054% |
| 30 | Union County | NJ | $1,595 | $488,800 | 2.046% |
| 31 | Travis County | TX | $1,595 | $487,600 | 1.535% |
| 32 | Fairfax County | VA | $1,594 | $699,700 | 1.011% |
| 33 | Alexandria city | VA | $1,574 | $696,800 | 0.987% |
| 34 | King County | WA | $1,570 | $811,200 | 0.836% |
| 35 | Hudson County | NJ | $1,568 | $508,600 | 1.851% |
| 36 | Napa County | CA | $1,553 | $838,800 | 0.696% |
| 37 | Putnam County | NY | $1,544 | $448,000 | 2.232% |
| 38 | Passaic County | NJ | $1,542 | $439,400 | 2.276% |
| 39 | Norfolk County | MA | $1,541 | $649,400 | 1.090% |
| 40 | Collin County | TX | $1,530 | $447,600 | 1.660% |
| 41 | Loudoun County | VA | $1,521 | $701,000 | 0.882% |
| 42 | Middlesex County | NJ | $1,515 | $439,300 | 2.204% |
| 43 | Fairfax city | VA | $1,513 | $677,400 | 0.944% |
| 44 | San Benito County | CA | $1,486 | $751,500 | 0.809% |
| 45 | Queens County | NY | $1,486 | $699,200 | 0.877% |
| 46 | San Diego County | CA | $1,481 | $791,600 | 0.700% |
| 47 | Sonoma County | CA | $1,472 | $779,000 | 0.716% |
| 48 | Kendall County | TX | $1,465 | $489,800 | 1.203% |
| 49 | Los Angeles County | CA | $1,464 | $783,300 | 0.694% |
| 50 | San Luis Obispo County | CA | $1,461 | $777,200 | 0.704% |
| 51 | Howard County | MD | $1,460 | $576,700 | 1.182% |
| 52 | Williamson County | TX | $1,452 | $414,600 | 1.707% |
| 53 | Summit County | UT | $1,443 | $1,000,400 | 0.347% |
| 54 | Ventura County | CA | $1,440 | $768,400 | 0.693% |
| 55 | Richmond County | NY | $1,438 | $658,500 | 0.922% |
| 56 | Greater Bridgeport Planning Region | CT | $1,427 | $397,000 | 2.154% |
| 57 | Denton County | TX | $1,424 | $403,400 | 1.721% |
| 58 | Essex County | MA | $1,402 | $584,000 | 1.073% |
| 59 | Montgomery County | MD | $1,378 | $615,200 | 0.868% |
| 60 | Eagle County | CO | $1,376 | $814,700 | 0.410% |
| 61 | Newport County | RI | $1,375 | $559,700 | 0.955% |
| 62 | Santa Barbara County | CA | $1,370 | $735,700 | 0.662% |
| 63 | Suffolk County | MA | $1,363 | $680,700 | 0.666% |
| 64 | Summit County | CO | $1,358 | $850,700 | 0.310% |
| 65 | Rockingham County | NH | $1,358 | $461,400 | 1.628% |
| 66 | Honolulu County | HI | $1,356 | $873,000 | 0.284% |
| 67 | Bristol County | RI | $1,355 | $468,000 | 1.385% |
| 68 | Placer County | CA | $1,355 | $658,800 | 0.850% |
| 69 | Monterey County | CA | $1,350 | $723,100 | 0.661% |
| 70 | Rockwall County | TX | $1,348 | $386,000 | 1.643% |
| 71 | Mercer County | NJ | $1,347 | $351,000 | 2.508% |
| 72 | Fort Bend County | TX | $1,346 | $350,300 | 1.988% |
| 73 | Hays County | TX | $1,332 | $371,400 | 1.729% |
| 74 | Plymouth County | MA | $1,331 | $513,000 | 1.237% |
| 75 | Lake County | IL | $1,330 | $326,600 | 2.677% |
| 76 | Orange County | NY | $1,324 | $361,100 | 2.344% |
| 77 | Delaware County | OH | $1,313 | $419,500 | 1.644% |
| 78 | DuPage County | IL | $1,312 | $374,100 | 2.094% |
| 79 | Williamson County | TN | $1,312 | $673,700 | 0.429% |
| 80 | Sussex County | NJ | $1,309 | $342,800 | 2.468% |
| 81 | Boulder County | CO | $1,303 | $713,900 | 0.535% |
| 82 | Chester County | PA | $1,301 | $461,800 | 1.341% |
| 83 | District of Columbia | DC | $1,288 | $724,600 | 0.577% |
| 84 | Snohomish County | WA | $1,268 | $644,600 | 0.794% |
| 85 | San Juan County | WA | $1,266 | $726,500 | 0.569% |
| 86 | Warren County | NJ | $1,263 | $323,100 | 2.524% |
| 87 | Maui County | HI | $1,256 | $858,600 | 0.168% |
| 88 | Gillespie County | TX | $1,255 | $432,300 | 1.019% |
| 89 | Kauai County | HI | $1,250 | $817,900 | 0.225% |
| 90 | Douglas County | CO | $1,249 | $674,000 | 0.550% |
| 91 | El Dorado County | CA | $1,246 | $640,500 | 0.704% |
| 92 | Burlington County | NJ | $1,246 | $326,700 | 2.419% |
| 93 | Comal County | TX | $1,240 | $398,800 | 1.210% |
| 94 | Routt County | CO | $1,239 | $756,200 | 0.329% |
| 95 | Washington County | RI | $1,230 | $469,800 | 1.054% |
| 96 | Dutchess County | NY | $1,229 | $368,100 | 1.963% |
| 97 | Bronx County | NY | $1,226 | $517,000 | 1.027% |
| 98 | Bucks County | PA | $1,224 | $421,700 | 1.383% |
| 99 | Broomfield County | CO | $1,216 | $631,600 | 0.616% |
| 100 | Hillsborough County | NH | $1,216 | $385,500 | 1.762% |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. 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.
Most Expensive Counties to Own a Home Outright by state
The same ranking within a single state.
Alabama67Alaska26Arizona15Arkansas75California58Colorado64Florida67Georgia159Idaho44Illinois102Indiana92Iowa99Kansas105Kentucky120Louisiana64Maine16Maryland24Massachusetts14Michigan83Minnesota87Mississippi82Missouri115Montana56Nebraska93Nevada16New Jersey21New Mexico33New York62North Carolina100North Dakota53Ohio88Oklahoma77Oregon36Pennsylvania67South Carolina46South Dakota65Tennessee95Texas250Utah29Vermont14Virginia133Washington39West Virginia55Wisconsin72Wyoming23