The typical owner-occupied home in La Center is worth about $584,600, 4% above the Washington median of $564,600 and 76% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,514 a year in property taxes, about 0.77% of their home's value, close to the Washington rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $101,708 a year, so the median home costs 5.7 times the median income (5.8 times for Washington). 75% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 69% of those owners still have a mortgage.
La Center at a glance
| La Center | Washington | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $584,600 | $564,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,514 | $4,556 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.77% | 0.81% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $101,708 | $98,141 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 75% | 64% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 69% | 66% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,431 | $2,445 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.1% | 22.2% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,876 | $1,760 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 51.0% | 30.0% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1998 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.1% | 7.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 3,883 | 7,816,116 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in La Center
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median La Center home of $584,600 with 20% down costs about $3,765 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,739, 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 $161,349 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 44% of the median La Center household income of $101,708; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $369,000.
The median rent here is $1,876 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,889 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $116,920 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $467,680 |
| Principal and interest | $3,146 |
| Property taxes (0.77% a year) | $375 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $244 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,765 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $20,461 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $574,011 |
| Principal and interest | $3,861 |
| Property taxes (0.77% a year) | $375 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $244 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $259 |
| Total per month | $4,739 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in La Center
What is the median home value in La Center?
About $584,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in La Center?
Homeowners pay a median $4,514 a year, which is about 0.77% 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 La Center?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,765 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $161,349 a year.
More about La Center
- Mortgage Refinance in La Center
- Debt Relief in La Center
- Home Equity Loans in La Center
- 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