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San Juan County, WA

Rent vs Own in San Juan County, Washington

What renting actually costs versus owning in San Juan County, calculated from Census property tax records and HUD's Fair Market Rent estimates. Owner-occupied homes: 7,031.

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Renting is cheaper in San Juan County

A 2-bedroom rental here runs $1,762/mo; owning, under the assumptions below, works out to $4,629/mo. That is a $2,867/mo difference.

Based on 20% down, 6.5% rate, 30-year mortgage. Adjust below.

What This Data Tells Us About Renting vs Owning in San Juan County

Property here runs $799,200 at the median, with $4,253 in annual property tax -- 0.53% effective rate against that value. Ownership, all-in (mortgage plus tax plus insurance, 20% down at 6.5%), comes to $4,629 a month here; HUD's Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit is $1,762. On those assumptions, renting is about $2,867/mo cheaper than owning before accounting for equity build-up or long-term appreciation.

The median household income in San Juan County is $84,800, which puts the home-price-to-income ratio at roughly 9.4x, a common affordability yardstick flags ratios above 5x as stretched. Property taxes alone consume 5.0% of median income, versus a 2%–4% national benchmark. These are median-household snapshots, not personalized numbers, your own rent-versus-own math depends on down payment, credit, mortgage rate, how long you plan to stay, and whether you itemize the property tax deduction on your federal return.

San Juan County's latest HUD 2-bedroom benchmark is $1,762/mo, compared with $1,693/mo a year earlier (FY2025). The estimate increased by $69/mo (+4.1%). That is in line with the modest single-digit annual FMR adjustment HUD applies in most counties.

San Juan County is ranked 39 of 39 within Washington on the same buy-versus-rent assumptions used in the calculator above. It is the state's least buy-favorable county by this measure.

Methodology & disclaimer

This calculator is for informational purposes only and is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Property tax figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates and rent figures come from HUD Fair Market Rents; both describe area medians, not individual transactions. Insurance is estimated at 0.35% of home value annually and closing costs, maintenance, HOA, and PMI are not included. Consult a licensed mortgage, tax, or real-estate professional before making a buy-or-rent decision based on these numbers.

Monthly Cost Breakdown

Estimated Monthly Ownership
$4,629
Mortgage (P&I) $4,041
Property Tax $354
Insurance (est.) $233
Monthly Rent (2-BR FMR)
$1,762
Studio$1,215
1-Bedroom$1,343
2-Bedroom$1,762
3-Bedroom$2,332
4-Bedroom$2,333

Adjust Your Scenario

Affordability Context

Median Household Income
$84,800
$7,067/mo
Home Price / Income
9.4x
Expensive (>5x)
Tax-to-Income Ratio
5.0%
National benchmark: 2-4%

Nearby Counties

King County
Home: $859,900 Tax: $7,114/yr
Pierce County
Home: $526,600 Tax: $4,770/yr
Snohomish County
Home: $696,000 Tax: $5,364/yr
Spokane County
Home: $410,700 Tax: $3,434/yr
Clark County
Home: $522,900 Tax: $4,290/yr
Thurston County
Home: $480,300 Tax: $4,209/yr

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Juan County, Washington? ▼
Buying comes out ahead in San Juan County under the standard 20%-down, 6.5% assumptions used on this page, by roughly $2,867 a month. That gap narrows or reverses with a bigger down payment, a lower rate, or a longer time horizon (owning builds equity that renting doesn't), so treat the number as a starting point, not a verdict, and rerun it with your own terms in the calculator above.
What is the median home price in San Juan County? ▼
$799,200, per the Census Bureau's ACS 5-Year Estimates. The property tax on that value works out to roughly 0.53% a year, in line with typical rates for the area.
What is the average rent in San Juan County? ▼
HUD prices a 2-bedroom unit at $1,762/mo here. Sizing up matters: going from a studio to a 4-bedroom adds about $1,118/mo, so the per-bedroom jump is worth checking against your actual space needs before assuming the 2-BR figure applies to your situation.
How much house can you afford in San Juan County? ▼
On the common 3x-income guideline, a $84,800 household here can afford up to $254,400 -- about $544,800 short of this county's $799,200 median home. That gap is typically closed with a larger down payment, dual incomes, or a longer search outside the median price band.
Is rent going up or down in San Juan County? ▼
HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent figure has risen 4.1% between the FY2025 and FY2026 publications, the two most recent years on record for this county. HUD revises these figures annually from local rent-survey data, so a single year's move is a data point, not a long-run trend line.
How does San Juan County compare to other Washington counties for renting vs buying? ▼
Out of 39 Washington counties ranked here on buy-vs-rent value, San Juan County lands at spot 39, putting it in the more rent-favorable quarter of the state. See the <a href="/states/washington">Washington property tax overview</a> for how neighboring counties stack up.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainPropertyTax Editorial

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Government Finances State and local property tax revenue by jurisdiction · 2025

Verify with HUD →