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Buying a home in Washington County, Texas

The typical owner-occupied home in Washington County is worth about $288,100, about the same as the Texas median of $283,800 and 13% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,143 a year in property taxes, about 1.09% of their home's value, lower than the Texas rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $77,825 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (3.6 times for Texas). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 43% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Washington County at a glance

Washington County Texas U.S.
Median home value $288,100 $283,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,143 $4,232 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.09% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $77,825 $78,476 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 70% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 43% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,862 $2,106 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.9% 21.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,165 $1,403 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 26.2% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1989 1992 1980
Vacant homes 12.2% 9.4% 10.1%
Population 36,647 30,188,424 334,922,499

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 $288,100 with 20% down costs about $1,932 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,412, 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 $82,808 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Washington County household income of $77,825; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $271,000.

The median rent here is $1,165 a month, so owning the median home costs about $767 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$57,620
Loan amount$230,480
Principal and interest$1,550
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$262
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$120
PMI$0
Total per month$1,932

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,084
Loan amount$282,882
Principal and interest$1,903
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$262
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$120
FHA mortgage insurance$127
Total per month$2,412

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Questions about home buying in Washington County

What is the median home value in Washington County?

About $288,100 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 $3,143 a year, which is about 1.09% 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 $1,932 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $82,808 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