The typical owner-occupied home in Harris County is worth about $276,600, 3% below the Texas median of $283,800 and 17% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,489 a year in property taxes, about 1.62% of their home's value, higher than the Texas rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $74,983 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (3.6 times for Texas). 55% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Harris County at a glance
| Harris County | Texas | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $276,600 | $283,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,489 | $4,232 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.62% | 1.49% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $74,983 | $78,476 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 55% | 63% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 57% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,155 | $2,106 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.0% | 21.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,401 | $1,403 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.0% | 30.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1988 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 8.4% | 9.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 4,838,303 | 30,188,424 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Harris County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Harris County home of $276,600 with 20% down costs about $1,977 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,438, 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 $84,738 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 32% of the median Harris County household income of $74,983; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $245,000.
The median rent here is $1,401 a month, so owning the median home costs about $576 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $55,320 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $221,280 |
| Principal and interest | $1,489 |
| Property taxes (1.62% a year) | $373 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $115 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,977 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,681 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $271,590 |
| Principal and interest | $1,827 |
| Property taxes (1.62% a year) | $373 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $115 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $122 |
| Total per month | $2,438 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Harris County
What is the median home value in Harris County?
About $276,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Harris County?
Homeowners pay a median $4,489 a year, which is about 1.62% 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 Harris County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,977 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $84,738 a year.
More about Harris County
- Mortgage Refinance in Harris County
- Debt Relief in Harris County
- Home Equity Loans in Harris County
- 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