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Buying a home in Mason County, Washington

The typical owner-occupied home in Mason County is worth about $411,800, 27% below the Washington median of $564,600 and 24% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,006 a year in property taxes, about 0.73% of their home's value, lower than the Washington rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $83,270 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (5.8 times for Washington). 82% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Mason County at a glance

Mason County Washington U.S.
Median home value $411,800 $564,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,006 $4,556 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.73% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $83,270 $98,141 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 82% 64% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,967 $2,445 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.4% 22.2% 21.0%
Median rent $1,285 $1,760 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.8% 30.0% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1989 1985 1980
Vacant homes 23.8% 7.3% 10.1%
Population 67,982 7,816,116 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Mason County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Mason County home of $411,800 with 20% down costs about $2,638 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,324, 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 $113,068 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 38% of the median Mason County household income of $83,270; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $303,000.

The median rent here is $1,285 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,353 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$82,360
Loan amount$329,440
Principal and interest$2,216
Property taxes (0.73% a year)$251
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$172
PMI$0
Total per month$2,638

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$14,413
Loan amount$404,341
Principal and interest$2,720
Property taxes (0.73% a year)$251
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$172
FHA mortgage insurance$182
Total per month$3,324

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Questions about home buying in Mason County

What is the median home value in Mason County?

About $411,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Mason County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,006 a year, which is about 0.73% 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 Mason County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,638 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $113,068 a year.

More about Mason 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