The typical owner-occupied home in Houston is worth about $310,900, 12% below the Delaware median of $352,000 and 7% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $845 a year in property taxes, about 0.27% of their home's value, lower than the Delaware rate of 0.50%. The median household earns $68,889 a year, so the median home costs 4.5 times the median income (4.1 times for Delaware). 86% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 80% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Houston at a glance
| Houston | Delaware | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $310,900 | $352,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $845 | $1,768 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.27% | 0.50% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $68,889 | $84,954 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 86% | 73% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 80% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,125 | $1,816 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.3% | 20.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $867 | $1,401 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 19.4% | 29.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1947 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 0.0% | 13.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 456 | 1,021,191 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Houston
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Houston home of $310,900 with 20% down costs about $1,873 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,391, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $80,256 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Houston household income of $68,889; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $267,000.
The median rent here is $867 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,006 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $62,180 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $248,720 |
| Principal and interest | $1,673 |
| Property taxes (0.27% a year) | $70 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $130 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,873 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $10,882 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $305,269 |
| Principal and interest | $2,054 |
| Property taxes (0.27% a year) | $70 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $130 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $138 |
| Total per month | $2,391 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Houston
What is the median home value in Houston?
About $310,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Houston?
Homeowners pay a median $845 a year, which is about 0.27% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Houston?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,873 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $80,256 a year.
More about Houston
- Mortgage Refinance in Houston
- Debt Relief in Houston
- Home Equity Loans in Houston
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data