PHILADELPHIA, PA — Homeowners in the Philadelphia metropolitan area face an estimated $18,834 in annual maintenance, property tax and insurance expenses, a 31.7% increase over five years that places the region above the national average, according to an October 22 analysis by Zillow and Thumbtack.
The costs amount to approximately $1,570 per month beyond mortgage payments, adding a substantial financial burden for existing homeowners and prospective buyers.
Philadelphia’s annual expenses increased 2.5% over the past year, suggesting that cost pressures are moderating despite the cumulative increase since 2021.
Nationally, the combined cost of maintenance, property taxes and homeowners insurance reached $16,566 annually, or approximately $1,380 per month. That represents a 31.7% increase over five years but a 2.8% increase over the past year.
Philadelphia homeowners face approximately $2,268 more in annual expenses than the national estimate, a difference of roughly 14%.
The findings underscore how housing affordability extends beyond mortgage rates and purchase prices, with recurring ownership expenses absorbing a growing share of household budgets.
Homeowners insurance has experienced the sharpest national increase among the three expense categories, climbing 54% over five years. Maintenance costs rose 32%, while property taxes increased 19%.
For the typical U.S. homeowner, maintenance represents the largest annual expense at $11,171, followed by property taxes at $3,129 and homeowners insurance at $2,266.
The report did not provide a separate breakdown of those three expenses for Philadelphia.
“Many households focus so much on winning the home and underestimate what it costs to live in it,” said Kara Ng, senior economist at Zillow. “Long after they receive the keys, insurance, taxes and upkeep are recurring expenses to plan for.”
The latest figures also indicate that the pace of increases is slowing.
Annual maintenance cost growth declined from 9% in 2022 to 1% in 2026, according to the analysis. Federal data cited by Zillow showed homeowners insurance premiums increased just 0.3% between February and June 2026, although premiums remain substantially higher than five years earlier.
Insurance costs have risen particularly sharply in several major metropolitan markets. Premiums increased at least 50% over five years in 19 of the 30 metropolitan areas examined.
Dallas recorded a 75% increase, followed by Tampa at 71%, Denver at 70% and Houston at 69%.
In Houston, Phoenix, Denver and Nashville, annual homeowners insurance expenses now exceed property taxes.
The report identified severe weather, including hail, tornadoes and damaging winds, as a possible contributor to higher premiums in storm-prone markets.
Regional differences remain substantial.
New York recorded the highest combined annual ownership expenses among the markets examined at $25,111, followed by San Francisco at $24,383, Los Angeles at $22,915 and Boston at $22,096.
Philadelphia’s $18,834 estimate was slightly above Washington’s $18,663 and Chicago’s $18,239.
Elsewhere in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh homeowners faced an estimated $15,619 in annual expenses, below both Philadelphia and the national average.
However, Pittsburgh recorded a 54.8% increase over five years, substantially exceeding Philadelphia’s 31.7% increase and representing one of the largest cumulative increases among the metropolitan areas surveyed.
Pittsburgh’s costs rose 3% over the past year.
The analysis combines Zillow estimates of property taxes and homeowners insurance with maintenance cost estimates supplied by Thumbtack.
Thumbtack calculated maintenance expenses using pricing information from service projects requested through its platform and reported by independent service professionals or customers. The estimates incorporate a weighted index of recurring maintenance activities.
The findings reflect estimated expenses for a typical homeowner in each metropolitan market rather than actual costs for every property.
For prospective buyers, the figures illustrate the importance of accounting for recurring expenses when determining housing affordability, particularly in markets where ownership costs have risen substantially over several years.
While annual increases have moderated, the cumulative rise in maintenance, insurance and property taxes continues to add to the financial demands of homeownership across the Philadelphia region.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.