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Buying a home in Port Isabel, Texas

The typical owner-occupied home in Port Isabel is worth about $182,600, 36% below the Texas median of $283,800 and 45% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,833 a year in property taxes, about 1.55% of their home's value, close to the Texas rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $32,222 a year, so the median home costs 5.7 times the median income (3.6 times for Texas). 60% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 36% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Port Isabel at a glance

Port Isabel Texas U.S.
Median home value $182,600 $283,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,833 $4,232 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.55% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $32,222 $78,476 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 60% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 36% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,286 $2,106 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.3% 21.7% 21.0%
Median rent $748 $1,403 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.7% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1982 1992 1980
Vacant homes 22.3% 9.4% 10.1%
Population 5,111 30,188,424 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Port Isabel

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Port Isabel home of $182,600 with 20% down costs about $1,295 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,599, 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 $55,484 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 48% of the median Port Isabel household income of $32,222; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $106,000.

The median rent here is $748 a month, so owning the median home costs about $547 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$36,520
Loan amount$146,080
Principal and interest$983
Property taxes (1.55% a year)$236
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$76
PMI$0
Total per month$1,295

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,391
Loan amount$179,293
Principal and interest$1,206
Property taxes (1.55% a year)$236
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$76
FHA mortgage insurance$81
Total per month$1,599

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Questions about home buying in Port Isabel

What is the median home value in Port Isabel?

About $182,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Port Isabel?

Homeowners pay a median $2,833 a year, which is about 1.55% 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 Port Isabel?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,295 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $55,484 a year.

More about Port Isabel

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