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Buying a home in Benton County, Washington

The typical owner-occupied home in Benton County is worth about $407,800, 28% below the Washington median of $564,600 and 23% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,163 a year in property taxes, about 0.78% of their home's value, close to the Washington rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $89,874 a year, so the median home costs 4.5 times the median income (5.8 times for Washington). 68% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Benton County at a glance

Benton County Washington U.S.
Median home value $407,800 $564,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,163 $4,556 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.78% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $89,874 $98,141 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 68% 64% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,993 $2,445 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.8% 22.2% 21.0%
Median rent $1,306 $1,760 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.3% 30.0% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1988 1985 1980
Vacant homes 6.1% 7.3% 10.1%
Population 212,905 7,816,116 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Benton County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Benton County home of $407,800 with 20% down costs about $2,630 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,309, 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 $112,698 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 35% of the median Benton County household income of $89,874; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $325,000.

The median rent here is $1,306 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,324 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$81,560
Loan amount$326,240
Principal and interest$2,195
Property taxes (0.78% a year)$265
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$170
PMI$0
Total per month$2,630

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,273
Loan amount$400,414
Principal and interest$2,694
Property taxes (0.78% a year)$265
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$170
FHA mortgage insurance$180
Total per month$3,309

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Questions about home buying in Benton County

What is the median home value in Benton County?

About $407,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Benton County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,163 a year, which is about 0.78% 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 Benton County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,630 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $112,698 a year.

More about Benton 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