The typical owner-occupied home in Secretary is worth about $172,000, 59% below the Maryland median of $419,900 and 48% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,810 a year in property taxes, about 1.05% of their home's value, higher than the Maryland rate of 0.97%. The median household earns $82,721 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (4.1 times for Maryland). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 59% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Secretary at a glance
| Secretary | Maryland | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,000 | $419,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,810 | $4,093 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.05% | 0.97% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $82,721 | $103,678 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 70% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 59% | 71% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,446 | $2,347 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.9% | 20.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,175 | $1,705 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 19.8% | 30.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1973 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 15.6% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 635 | 6,206,011 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Secretary
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Secretary home of $172,000 with 20% down costs about $1,148 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,434, 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 $49,192 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 17% of the median Secretary household income of $82,721; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $289,000.
The median rent here is $1,175 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $34,400 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $137,600 |
| Principal and interest | $926 |
| Property taxes (1.05% a year) | $150 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $72 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,148 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,020 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $168,885 |
| Principal and interest | $1,136 |
| Property taxes (1.05% a year) | $150 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $72 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $76 |
| Total per month | $1,434 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Secretary
What is the median home value in Secretary?
About $172,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Secretary?
Homeowners pay a median $1,810 a year, which is about 1.05% 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 Secretary?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,148 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $49,192 a year.
More about Secretary
- Mortgage Refinance in Secretary
- Debt Relief in Secretary
- Home Equity Loans in Secretary
- 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