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Buying a home in Steptoe, Washington

The typical owner-occupied home in Steptoe is worth about $251,900, 55% below the Washington median of $564,600 and 24% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,125 a year in property taxes, about 0.45% of their home's value, lower than the Washington rate of 0.81%. The median household earns $51,136 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (5.8 times for Washington). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Steptoe at a glance

Steptoe Washington U.S.
Median home value $251,900 $564,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,125 $4,556 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.45% 0.81% 0.94%
Median household income $51,136 $98,141 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 73% 64% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 47% 66% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,489 $2,445 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 33.2% 22.2% 21.0%
Median rent $1,375 $1,760 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 20.7% 30.0% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1985 1980
Vacant homes 13.3% 7.3% 10.1%
Population 162 7,816,116 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Steptoe

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Steptoe home of $251,900 with 20% down costs about $1,555 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,975, 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 $66,645 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 36% of the median Steptoe household income of $51,136; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $193,000.

The median rent here is $1,375 a month, so owning the median home costs about $180 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$50,380
Loan amount$201,520
Principal and interest$1,356
Property taxes (0.45% a year)$94
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$105
PMI$0
Total per month$1,555

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,816
Loan amount$247,337
Principal and interest$1,664
Property taxes (0.45% a year)$94
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$105
FHA mortgage insurance$111
Total per month$1,975

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Questions about home buying in Steptoe

What is the median home value in Steptoe?

About $251,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Steptoe?

Homeowners pay a median $1,125 a year, which is about 0.45% 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 Steptoe?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,555 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $66,645 a year.

More about Steptoe

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