When it comes to buying anything on credit, we all know the original price tag isn’t really what you wind up paying — whether it’s cars, holiday gifts, power tools or houses.
Homes are the biggest on-credit purchases many of us will probably make, and with six-figure home prices come five-figure amounts of interest — or more, according to a recent HowMuch.net analysis.
HowMuch.net’s analysis uses Zillow’s median home price in each state as of June 30. It assumes a 20% down payment and a 30-year mortgage with a fixed interest rate of 3.81%.
The cost information website finds that when you sign a 30-year mortgage for a median-priced home in your state, you are committing to pay from $130,000 to $826,000 in total, depending on the state. That includes the loan amount and total interest over the life of the loan.
Take a look at that total cost of a mortgage for a median-priced home in each state, starting with the most expensive state for financing a home.
50. Hawaii
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $825,640
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $614,500
It costs a lot to buy a home in the Aloha State, but at least you’ll catch a break with property taxes: Hawaii has the lowest property tax burden in the U.S., as Money Talks News reports, citing data from WalletHub.
Unfortunately for islanders, however, their state has the highest cost of living in the country, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
49. California
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $735,619
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $547,500
You’ll shell out a lot of gold in the Golden State for a home — the median price was $547,500 as of June 30. And HowMuch.net found that the amount you can expect to pay in loan interest alone for the typical California home would be nearly $300,000.
The expenses don’t stop there. California has the third-highest cost of living in the nation, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
48. Massachusetts
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $547,785
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $407,700
OK, it costs a bundle to buy a house in the Bay State — especially in Boston, where the median home price is nearly $600,000. But it might all be worth it.
A WalletHub analysis earlier this year found that Massachusetts is the second-best state in the country for raising a family.
47. Washington
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $521,853
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $388,400
Washington is ranked No. 1 state in the nation this year in the annual best-states ranking by U.S. News & World Report.
The Evergreen State got high marks in the categories of education, economy, health care and infrastructure.
46. Colorado
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $508,552
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $378,500
U.S. News & World Report ranks the Rocky Mountain State No. 10 in the nation overall this year, and No. 1 for its economy.
However, higher housing prices have contributed to Colorado’s homeownership rate falling from 71.2% in 2005 to 65.1% this year, Colorado Public Radio reported recently.
45. Oregon
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $465,422
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $346,400
Oregon’s median home price was $346,400 in June. That’s a massive jump from the post-recession low — $190,000, in March 2012, by Zillow’s count.
Housing prices in the Portland metro area rose the most of all West Coast cities this past year, the Oregonian reports.
44. Utah
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $459,242
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $341,800
Utah is the second-best state in the country for homeownership, Money Talks News reported recently.
The ranking used such metrics as average home price per square foot, appreciation, foreclosure rates and property tax rates to determine the locations where homeownership pays off the best.
43. New Jersey
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $440,297
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $327,700
New Jersey had the 10th-highest cost of living in the second quarter this year.
The median New Jersey home value was $327,700 in June of this year. A typical home loan on that amount would be $262,160, after a 20% down payment.
All in all, a mortgage borrower who keeps this loan for its entire 30 years would end up paying around $178,137 in interest — a total cost of $440,297 (with a $1,223 monthly payment) for the loan and interest, HowMuch.net finds.
42. Alaska
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $423,099
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $314,900
The Last Frontier has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in unemployment with its rate of 6.3% as of July 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.
The bright news for Alaska is that the state added 1,800 jobs since July 2018, according to the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. The hiring was led by the construction and oil and gas industries.
41. New York
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $405,632
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $301,900
The Empire State has the fourth-highest cost of living in the U.S., taking into account such costs as groceries, transportation, housing and health care.
On the plus side, New York added 92,100 jobs from July 2018 to July 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.
40. Nevada
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $393,137
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $292,600
Nevada enjoyed a 3.1% increase in employment from July 2018 to July 2019. Nevada led the states for employment gains by percent of population, closely followed by Utah, with a 2.8% increase, and Washington, with a 2.6% increase.
The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation says its leisure and hospitality services sector shows a 22% gain in jobs, compared with 10% for the rest of the nation.
39. Maryland
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $388,300
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $289,000
Maryland, the Old Line State, has the seventh-highest cost of living in the country.
But maybe it’s worth it. U.S. News & World Report ranks the state No. 6 in its latest Best States Rankings.
38. Rhode Island
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $379,701
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $282,600
Despite being ranked No. 1 for its natural environment and No. 5 for health care, the Ocean State finds itself in the middle of the pack at No. 26 overall in U.S. News & World Report’s Best States Rankings for 2019.
Dragging Rhode Island down are poor marks for infrastructure (49th) and education (41st).
37. New Hampshire
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $374,057
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $278,400
U.S. News & World Report ranks the Granite State No. 2 in its Best States Rankings for 2019.
The rating service gives New Hampshire top marks for opportunity and for handling crime and corrections.
36. Idaho
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $359,547
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $267,600
Although Idaho, land of potatoes, ranks in the upper half for total mortgage costs, it is the state where homeowners get the most value for their money, Money Talks News reports, pointing to Idaho’s outdoor opportunities and many national parks and recreation areas.
The median property tax bill in Idaho is $1,408, SmartAsset finds.
35. Virginia
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $348,798
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $259,600
Zillow calls the Virginia housing market “very hot.” The median home value here has been growing since last year.
The home values site predicts home values will rise again in 2020, despite talk of a national recession looming.
34. Arizona
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $340,871
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $253,700
Unemployment remains high in Arizona — 5% in August, compared to 3.7% nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, the Grand Canyon State added 12,000 new jobs from July to August, a 0.4% increase.
When states are ranked for their cost of living, Arizona falls right about in the middle.
33. Connecticut
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $327,300
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $243,600
The Constitution State has the ninth-highest cost of living in the country.
Life in Connecticut may be well worth the cost, though. In its most recent Best States Rankings, U.S. News & World Report lists Connecticut in the top 10 for health care, natural environment and crime and corrections.
32. Minnesota
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $319,910
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $238,100
The North Star State is tops for raising a family, Money Talks News reported in February.
Minnesota gets high marks in research by WalletHub for family fun, health, safety, education, socioeconomics and child care, the metrics used to calculate the state rankings. The state also has the highest median family salary when adjusted for cost of living.
31. Delaware
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $317,223
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $236,100
Delaware, the Blue Hen State, ranks among the top 20 states on the issues of health care, economy, infrastructure and fiscal stability, U.S. News & World Report says in its latest Best States Rankings.
What’s more, the monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home in Delaware is an affordable $881.
30. Florida
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $316,955
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $235,900
Thanks to a combination of factors including cost of living, in-home services, life expectancy and crime rate, the Sunshine State ranks No. 1 for retirees, Money Talks News reported recently, based on a review of the 50 states by WalletHub.
In this study, Florida was No. 1 for affordability and No. 7 for quality of life.
29. Montana
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $316,148
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $235,300
Big Sky Country is the fourth-best place in the country for homeownership, according to a SmartAsset study.
Montana boasts the second-lowest rate of foreclosures among all states and comes in at No. 10 for the square-foot price of real estate, at $186.
Mortgage closing costs here run $1,994, on average, and homeowners’ insurance costs $1,003 a year, on average, SmartAsset says.
28. Maine
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $314,536
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $234,100
Maine, the Pine Tree State, was ranked No. 32 in U.S. News & World Report’s latest Best States Rankings.
Among issues facing the state, Maine has the 12th-highest cost of living in the U.S.
Many families go hungry and are living paycheck to paycheck, while homelessness is on the rise in the state, The Bangor Daily News reports.
27. Wyoming
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $303,922
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $226,200
The Equality State’s housing market is “very hot.” Home values in Wyoming are trending up and Zillow predicts they’ll keep climbing in 2020.
Maybe Kanye West’s $14 million ranch purchase is helping to bring those numbers up.
26. North Dakota
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $277,587
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $206,600
Thanks to advances in oil drilling technologies, the Peace Garden State has enjoyed the fastest growth among all the states in personal income, Money Talks News reports.
The data, from Pew Charitable Trusts, takes into account numerous statistics, including paychecks, employer contributions to retirement plans and benefits from government programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
25. Vermont
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $275,303
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $204,900
U.S. News & World Report has the Green Mountain State at No. 5 in its latest Best States Rankings and among the top 10 states on the factors of crime and corrections, natural environment, education and opportunity.
Zillow calls Vermont a “very hot” buy for housing, with home prices rising rapidly in 2019 and more price growth predicted in 2020.
24. Texas
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $264,554
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $196,900
Want plenty of money for a mortgage? Get a job in the oil and gas industry in Texas, the Longhorn State.
This lucrative sector pays an annual average wage of $130,000 — 134% more than the average private-sector job in Texas, according to one Texas oil industry publication.
The Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association adds that 40% of all oil and gas jobs in the U.S. are in Texas.
23. New Mexico
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $262,136
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $195,900
New Mexico, Land of Enchantment, isn’t so enchanting a place to live when it comes to raising a family, as MoneyTalksNews reported recently.
On a recent ranking of U.S. states, New Mexico lands near the bottom in the categories of health and safety, education and child care and affordability, according to WalletHub.
22. South Dakota
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $257,165
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $191,400
Like its sister state to the north, South Dakota is enjoying a big jump in personal incomes, which grew 4.4% from 2018 to 2019, Money Talks News reports.
The Mount Rushmore State also added 2.1% more jobs from July 2018 to July 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
21. Georgia
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $254,612
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $189,500
Georgia home values have risen sharply in 2019 and Zillow predicts more growth in 2020.
As homeowners here pay their monthly mortgage bills, they can take comfort in the fact that the Peach State has the No. 10 cheapest cost of living in the country.
20. Wisconsin
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $253,806
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $188,900
Wisconsin, the Badger State, is No. 11 in U.S. News & World Report’s latest Best States Rankings. It got the nod in part for its top-10 ratings on the factors of opportunity and the natural environment.
The mortgage payment on a median-priced Wisconsin home is about $705. Total interest paid over the 30-year life of that home loan would be $102,686.
19. North Carolina
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $250,043
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $186,100
Median home prices are rising in North Carolina this year, and Zillow predicts they will keep growing in the coming year.
U.S. News & World Reports lists the Tar Heel State No. 18 in its annual Best States Rankings.
18. Illinois
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $243,460
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $181,200
Chicago home sales fell 7.7% in August compared with the same time last year. Nevertheless, the median sale price of a home in the city rose 3.5%, to $289,900, the trade group Illinois Realtors reports.
Zillow says median home prices in Illinois are rising this year and calls the Illinois housing market “very hot.”
17. Pennsylvania
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $233,517
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $173,800
The monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home in the Keystone State is $645, among the lowest in the nation, according to HowMuch.net.
The cost of living in Pennsylvania is in the middle of the pack compared with other states.
16. Tennessee
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $225,859
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $168,100
Tennessee, the Volunteer State, has the fifth-lowest cost of living in the nation.
The state gets low marks for health care, education and crime and corrections, but it tops the nation for fiscal stability in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best States report.
15. South Carolina
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $225,590
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $167,900
Zillow reports that South Carolina home values are shooting up this year and are projected to continue rising in the coming year. The state has a “very hot” real estate market, Zillow says.
That news isn’t as great for renters here. South Carolina has the highest rate of rental evictions in the U.S., along with a crisis in affordability for renters and rise in homelessness.
More than half of South Carolina renters can’t afford to meet their basic monthly needs, says this South Carolina Housing Needs Assessment.
14. Nebraska
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $223,843
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $166,600
U.S. News & World Report puts the Cornhusker State at No. 9 in its 2019 Best States Rankings. Nebraska earns high grades for education, infrastructure and fiscal stability.
There are worries for the U.S. overall about a possible recession in the coming year, but local university experts tout the strength of Nebraska’s agricultural economy as a possible buffer for the state.
13. Missouri
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $217,125
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $161,600
The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center took a look at its home state, finding that it has the fourth-lowest cost of living in the nation, after Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi.
That low cost of living and other factors may be luring more young entrepreneurs to the state. The 2019 Show Me Jobs report, sponsored in part by the University of Missouri, says, “Missouri startups created 80% of all net new jobs across the state in the last five years.”
12. Michigan
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $205,033
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $152,600
Michigan has the 12th-lowest average monthly mortgage cost — $570 — in the country on a median-priced home, according to HowMuch.net’s analysis.
The Wolverine State ties with Colorado as the sixth best place where homeownership pays off, in this report on a SmartAsset comparison of median home values and median incomes.
11. Louisiana
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $196,568
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $146,300
Louisiana is the third-worst state in the country to raise a family, Money Talks News reports.
The report is based on 2019 WalletHub rankings that put the Bayou State near the bottom of the pack due to ratings on such categories as socioeconomic factors, health and safety and education and child care.
10. Kentucky
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $195,896
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $145,800
Mortgage payments in the Bluegrass State average $544 per month on a median-priced home, according to HowMuch.net’s analysis.
Homebuyers appear eager to take advantage of Kentucky’s rising housing market: Zillow reports that home values have grown appreciably this year and are expected to continue rising next year.
9. Indiana
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $195,225
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $145,300
In Indiana, the Hoosier State, starter homes have a median value of $75,400, Money Talks News reports. That’s the 14th lowest in the nation.
The median value for all homes in Indiana rose steadily this year and is expected to continue rising.
8. Iowa
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $193,344
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $143,900
The Hawkeye State is No. 15 in a ranking of the best places to raise a family, saysa WalletHub analysis that gives Iowa particularly high marks for education and child care and socioeconomic factors. It also touts the state’s affordability.
Indeed, the monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home in Iowa (after a 20% down payment) is only $537.
7. Kansas
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $188,641
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $140,400
If you are considering a move, the Kansas Rural Opportunities Zone program is designed to lure new full-time residents to the state.
Among other incentives, the program repays some of your student loan debt and waives state taxes for up to five years.
The state’s affordability also is a financial incentive to draw new residents. The median home value in Kansas in June was $112,320, and the mortgage payment on a median-priced home is an affordable $524 a month.
6. Ohio
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $187,701
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $139,700
Ohio home values have risen a good deal in the last 12 months, and they are expected to grow more over the next year.
The average mortgage payment on a median-priced home in Ohio is one of the nations lowest, with a monthly cost of $521.
5. Alabama
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $177,489
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $132,100
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is setting enrollment records lately, with its student population surpassing 38,000 for the third consecutive year, helped along by 10% growth among in-state students.
Hopefully, those future graduates will help the Heart of Dixie improve its status as 49th among 50 states in U.S. News’ 2019 Best States Rankings.
4. Mississippi
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $171,443
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $127,600
U.S. News & World Report puts the Magnolia State at No. 48 in its 2019 Best States Rankings.
Mississippi earned low marks for its health care, economy, education, infrastructure, opportunity and fiscal stability.
On the plus side, the state has the lowest cost of living in the country, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
3. Arkansas
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $170,637
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $127,000
Arkansas has the third-lowest cost of living in the U.S. That’s a great attraction if you are looking for an affordable environment. The average monthly payment on a median-priced home in this state is a sweet, low $474.
Less attractive is the state’s standing as the seventh-worst place for raising a family, earned in part by a high infant mortality rate.
2. Oklahoma
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $166,740
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $124,100
The Sooner State has the nation’s second-lowest monthly mortgage payment for a median-priced home: $463.
Mortgage interest costs over the entire life of a 30-year mortgage (after a 20% down payment) would total $67,460.
Oklahoma ranks second for its cheap cost of living, too, according to the the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
1. West Virginia
Total cost of a mortgage loan and interest payments for a median-priced home in this state: $130,463
Median home price in this state as of June 30: $97,100
This coal mining state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, but it doesn’t cost much to own a home here.
HowMuch.net calculates that the monthly mortgage payment on a median-priced home in West Virginia is $362, the lowest in the nation. That assumes you’ve made a 20% down payment.
You’d have paid “only” pay $52,783 in total interest on your home loan if you kept the mortgage for 30 years. That’s a relatively low amount compared with mortgages in other states.
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