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Buying a home in Washington County, Kentucky

The typical owner-occupied home in Washington County is worth about $179,200, 13% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 46% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,174 a year in property taxes, about 0.66% of their home's value, lower than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $61,616 a year, so the median home costs 2.9 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Washington County at a glance

Washington County Kentucky U.S.
Median home value $179,200 $205,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,174 $1,544 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.66% 0.75% 0.94%
Median household income $61,616 $63,726 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 78% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 53% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,122 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.3% 18.8% 21.0%
Median rent $744 $967 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.8% 28.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1982 1982 1980
Vacant homes 7.5% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 12,140 4,534,824 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Washington County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Washington County home of $179,200 with 20% down costs about $1,138 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,436, 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 $48,755 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 22% of the median Washington County household income of $61,616; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $226,000.

The median rent here is $744 a month, so owning the median home costs about $394 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$35,840
Loan amount$143,360
Principal and interest$964
Property taxes (0.66% a year)$99
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$75
PMI$0
Total per month$1,138

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,272
Loan amount$175,954
Principal and interest$1,184
Property taxes (0.66% a year)$99
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$75
FHA mortgage insurance$79
Total per month$1,436

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Questions about home buying in Washington County

What is the median home value in Washington County?

About $179,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Washington County?

Homeowners pay a median $1,174 a year, which is about 0.66% 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 Washington County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,138 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $48,755 a year.

More about Washington County

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