The typical owner-occupied home in Zapata County is worth about $97,100, 66% below the Texas median of $283,800 and 71% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $920 a year in property taxes, about 0.95% of their home's value, lower than the Texas rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $39,239 a year, so the median home costs 2.5 times the median income (3.6 times for Texas). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 27% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Zapata County at a glance
| Zapata County | Texas | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,100 | $283,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $920 | $4,232 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.95% | 1.49% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $39,239 | $78,476 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 63% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 27% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,157 | $2,106 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.7% | 21.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $617 | $1,403 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 27.5% | 30.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1992 | 1992 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 27.0% | 9.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 13,841 | 30,188,424 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Zapata County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Zapata County home of $97,100 with 20% down costs about $640 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $802, 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 $27,424 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Zapata County household income of $39,239; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $139,000.
The median rent here is $617 a month, so owning the median home costs about $23 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $19,420 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $77,680 |
| Principal and interest | $523 |
| Property taxes (0.95% a year) | $77 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $40 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $640 |
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| Down payment | $3,398 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $95,341 |
| Principal and interest | $641 |
| Property taxes (0.95% a year) | $77 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $40 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $43 |
| Total per month | $802 |
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Questions about home buying in Zapata County
What is the median home value in Zapata County?
About $97,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Zapata County?
Homeowners pay a median $920 a year, which is about 0.95% 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 Zapata County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $640 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $27,424 a year.
More about Zapata County
- Mortgage Refinance in Zapata County
- Debt Relief in Zapata County
- Home Equity Loans in Zapata 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