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Buying a home in Washington County, Oregon

The typical owner-occupied home in Washington County is worth about $588,000, 23% above the Oregon median of $477,600 and 77% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,929 a year in property taxes, about 0.84% of their home's value, close to the Oregon rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $107,772 a year, so the median home costs 5.5 times the median income (5.8 times for Oregon). 61% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 71% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Washington County at a glance

Washington County Oregon U.S.
Median home value $588,000 $477,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,929 $3,876 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.84% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $107,772 $83,011 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 61% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 71% 65% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,475 $2,157 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.9% 22.4% 21.0%
Median rent $1,849 $1,525 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.7% 31.3% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1990 1981 1980
Vacant homes 3.2% 7.5% 10.1%
Population 603,947 4,254,293 334,922,499

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 $588,000 with 20% down costs about $3,821 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,801, 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 $163,758 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 43% of the median Washington County household income of $107,772; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $387,000.

The median rent here is $1,849 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,972 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$117,600
Loan amount$470,400
Principal and interest$3,164
Property taxes (0.84% a year)$412
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$245
PMI$0
Total per month$3,821

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$20,580
Loan amount$577,350
Principal and interest$3,884
Property taxes (0.84% a year)$412
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$245
FHA mortgage insurance$260
Total per month$4,801

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Questions about home buying in Washington County

What is the median home value in Washington County?

About $588,000 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 $4,929 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 Washington County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,821 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $163,758 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