The typical owner-occupied home in Highland County is worth about $200,000, 48% below the Virginia median of $383,700 and 40% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,135 a year in property taxes, about 0.57% of their home's value, lower than the Virginia rate of 0.73%. The median household earns $65,625 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (4.1 times for Virginia). 89% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 37% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Highland County at a glance
| Highland County | Virginia | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $200,000 | $383,700 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,135 | $2,790 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.57% | 0.73% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $65,625 | $93,170 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 89% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 37% | 67% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,331 | $2,127 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.7% | 20.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $856 | $1,579 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 33.0% | 29.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1971 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 46.2% | 8.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 2,296 | 8,705,170 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Highland County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Highland County home of $200,000 with 20% down costs about $1,255 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,588, 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 $53,771 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 23% of the median Highland County household income of $65,625; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $244,000.
The median rent here is $856 a month, so owning the median home costs about $399 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $40,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $160,000 |
| Principal and interest | $1,076 |
| Property taxes (0.57% a year) | $95 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $83 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,255 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $196,378 |
| Principal and interest | $1,321 |
| Property taxes (0.57% a year) | $95 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $83 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $88 |
| Total per month | $1,588 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Highland County
What is the median home value in Highland County?
About $200,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Highland County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,135 a year, which is about 0.57% 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 Highland County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,255 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $53,771 a year.
More about Highland County
- Mortgage Refinance in Highland County
- Debt Relief in Highland County
- Home Equity Loans in Highland 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