Overview
- A Zillow and Thumbtack analysis released Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, finds recurring non‑mortgage costs average $16,566 a year, about $1,380 a month, on top of a mortgage payment.
- The typical breakdown is $11,171 for maintenance, $2,266 for homeowners insurance and $3,129 for property taxes, with maintenance making up roughly two‑thirds of the total.
- Over five years hidden costs rose about 32%, driven by a 54% jump in insurance, 32% in maintenance and 19% in property taxes, though overall growth slowed to roughly 3% year‑over‑year and federal data show insurance rose only 0.3% from February to June 2026.
- Costs vary widely by metro: coastal areas top the list (New York $25,111; San Francisco $24,383; Los Angeles $22,915; Boston $22,096) and insurance premiums rose at least 50% in 19 of 30 metros, with Dallas up 75% and Miami homeowners paying nearly $5,000 a year.
- The report warns rising upkeep and insurance will squeeze monthly cash flow even as aggregate homeowner equity is high and advises buyers to get insurance quotes, budget for routine maintenance, and factor these recurring costs into affordability calculations; the figures combine Zillow estimates for taxes and insurance with Thumbtack service‑request data for maintenance.