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Buying a home in St. Mary's County, Maryland

The typical owner-occupied home in St. Mary's County is worth about $407,600, 3% below the Maryland median of $419,900 and 23% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,424 a year in property taxes, about 0.84% of their home's value, lower than the Maryland rate of 0.97%. The median household earns $119,446 a year, so the median home costs 3.4 times the median income (4.1 times for Maryland). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 71% of those owners still have a mortgage.

St. Mary's County at a glance

St. Mary's County Maryland U.S.
Median home value $407,600 $419,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,424 $4,093 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.84% 0.97% 0.94%
Median household income $119,446 $103,678 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 73% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 71% 71% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,268 $2,347 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.2% 20.5% 21.0%
Median rent $1,747 $1,705 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.9% 30.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1992 1979 1980
Vacant homes 8.5% 7.7% 10.1%
Population 115,126 6,206,011 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in St. Mary's County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median St. Mary's County home of $407,600 with 20% down costs about $2,649 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,328, 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 $113,516 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median St. Mary's County household income of $119,446; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $429,000.

The median rent here is $1,747 a month, so owning the median home costs about $902 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$81,520
Loan amount$326,080
Principal and interest$2,194
Property taxes (0.84% a year)$285
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$170
PMI$0
Total per month$2,649

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,266
Loan amount$400,217
Principal and interest$2,692
Property taxes (0.84% a year)$285
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$170
FHA mortgage insurance$180
Total per month$3,328

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Questions about home buying in St. Mary's County

What is the median home value in St. Mary's County?

About $407,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in St. Mary's County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,424 a year, which is about 0.84% 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 St. Mary's County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,649 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $113,516 a year.

More about St. Mary's 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