HOA Fees Ranked Across the US

Buying a home in a community with a homeowner association means that you’ll be paying more fees each month, and that can affect whether or not a home is within your budget.

The cost of these HOA fees varies widely depending on the city you are in, the type of community, and what is included with the HOA fees.

Photo by Igal Ness on Unsplash

Typically, these fees go towards landscaping, community-shared amenities, and other types of maintenance. The exact inclusions vary from association to association. More than 5% of homeowners across the country pay these fees, and on average, they pay around $300 per month.

Today, check out the rankings of these monthly housing costs to learn more about the landscape. This data is brought together by the U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, and researchers at ISN. Additionally, the data only includes cities where at least 1% of homeowners in that metro area pay HOA fees.

Highest HOA Fees: Top 10 Cities

10. Washington – Arlington – Alexandria (DC, VA, MD, WV)

In this quad-state area surrounding the nation’s capital, homeowners pay a median HOA fee of $350 monthly. This makes up nearly 18% of the monthly housing costs for homeowners in this region, and more than 12% of homeowners pay HOA fees.

Different parts of Virginia, Maryland, DC, and surrounding areas have different HOA fee averages that are worth investigating more closely.

9. Lakeland – Winter Haven (FL)

While only 2.1% of homeowners pay HOA fees in this region, the median HOA fee is also around $350 monthly. This makes up a much larger portion of monthly costs in the region at nearly a 25% share.

8. Cape Coral – Fort Myers (FL)

Another city in Florida is next on the list. In the Cape Coral and Fort Myers region, the median monthly fee once again rolls in around $350 monthly. Nearly 14% of homeowners pay HOA fees in this region, and those fees make up more than 25% of their monthly housing costs on average.

7. Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville (FL)

As you’ve probably noticed, there are many cities in Florida on this list. There are a larger number of communities with HOA fees in Florida than in many neighbouring states.

Once again, the median HOA fee in this area is $350 monthly. This makes up more than 25% of the monthly housing costs for homeowners, and 8% of homeowners pay HOA fees each month.

6. North Port – Sarasota – Bradenton (FL)

In another region with median HOA fees of $350 monthly, 11.8% of homeowners in this area pay an HOA fee each month. The median HOA costs make up more than 25% of the housing costs for homeowners in this area.

5. Seattle – Tacoma – Bellevue (WA)

Houses in this region tend to be more expensive than those higher on the list, and the median monthly HOA fee also dips up to around $360 monthly. With more than 10% of homeowners paying an HOA fee in the area, it’s quite common to see HOA communities. The median HOA fee makes up around 18% of monthly costs for homeowners.

4. San Jose – Sunnyvale – Santa Clara (CA)

HOA fees in this area of California hit a median point around $370 monthly, and nearly 15% of homeowners in the area are responsible for HOA fees each month. With the high cost of living in California, however, this makes up just under 11% of monthly costs for California homeowners.

3. San Francisco – Oakland – Berkeley (CA)

Around San Francisco, the monthly HOA median point hits $400 even. Around 14% of homeowners pay these fees monthly, and this makes up around 14% of housing share costs. The median home price in this area is significantly higher than all other areas on today’s list.

2. New York – Newark – Jersey City (NY, NJ, PA)

Next up, the tri-state area around New York City sees HOA fees that reach $410 as their monthly median. With just around 10% of homeowners paying HOA fees, it’s not super common for homeowners to need to pay these fees. Still, the fees make up 17% of monthly housing costs for those that do pay them.

1. Urban Honolulu (HI)

At the top of the list today is the urban metro of Honolulu, where the median monthly HOA fee reaches $520. Nearly 30% of homeowners pay HOA fees here, and those fees make up 21% of monthly housing costs for homeowners.