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Zillow and Thumbtack find that maintenance, insurance, and property taxes now total about $16,600 annually, with smaller increases offering some relief. After several years of sharp increases, the expenses that come with owning a home are growing more slowly.
A new analysis from Zillow and Thumbtack estimates that maintenance, homeowners insurance, and property taxes now cost the typical U.S. homeowner $16,566 annually, or approximately $1,380 a month, beyond mortgage principal and interest.
That remains a substantial financial commitment. But the latest annual increase was approximately 3 percent, compared with a cumulative 32 percent increase over five years.
The distinction matters: homeowners are generally facing smaller increases, rather than a return to earlier prices.
Maintenance Provides the Clearest Sign of Cooling
Maintenance remains the largest expense in the analysis, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the national total.
According to Zillow and Thumbtack, annual maintenance cost growth slowed each year, falling from 9 percent in 2022 to 1 percent in 2026.
That slowdown offers breathing room for homeowners juggling repairs, insurance renewals, and other bills. Nevertheless, maintenance expenses remain 32 percent above their level five years ago.
The estimated annual costs break down as follows:
| Expense | Annual cost | Increase over five years |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | $11,171 | 32% |
| Homeowners insurance | $2,266 | 54% |
| Property taxes | $3,129 | 19% |
| Total | $16,566 | About 32% |
Source: Zillow and Thumbtack. Figures are estimates, and actual expenses vary by property and location.
“The slowdown in maintenance cost growth is welcome news for homeowners managing a lot of competing expenses,” said Kendra Sinclair, Thumbtack’s home trends expert.
Regular upkeep still requires a meaningful budget, even when service prices are increasing more gradually.
Insurance Shows Early Signs of Stabilizing
Homeowners insurance has experienced the largest five-year increase among the three categories, with premiums rising 54 percent.
However, federal data cited in the analysis show premiums increasing just 0.3 percent between February and June 2026.
That relatively small increase suggests a period of slower growth. It does not establish that premiums have stopped rising, and the four-month figure should not be treated as a full-year forecast.
For households that have absorbed several large renewals, stabilization could still be valuable. A smaller increase makes budgeting easier, even if the premium itself remains elevated.
The National Slowdown Does Not Reach Every Market Equally
Local conditions can overwhelm the broader trend.
Over five years, insurance premiums increased 75 percent in Dallas, 71 percent in Tampa, 70 percent in Denver, and 69 percent in Houston, according to the analysis. Severe weather and associated losses may contribute to pressures in storm-prone markets.
Maintenance costs also varied sharply. While national growth slowed to 1 percent, Los Angeles recorded a 27 percent annual increase. The analysis linked that jump to factors including wildfire recovery, demand for home services, and elevated labor costs.
The lesson for homeowners is that national averages provide context, but local renewal notices and contractor estimates determine the household budget.
Slower Growth Still Leaves a Higher Cost Base
A slowdown in inflation does not erase earlier increases.
For example, an expense that rises from $1,000 to $1,300 and then increases just 1 percent still reaches $1,313. The latest increase is modest, but the bill remains substantially higher than where it began.
That is the challenge reflected in the Zillow–Thumbtack findings. The pace of increase is becoming less burdensome, while the accumulated cost remains difficult for many households to absorb.
For buyers, these recurring expenses also affect how much house is affordable. Mortgage principal and interest are only part of the calculation. Property taxes and insurance may already be included in an escrow payment, so buyers should check their loan estimate carefully to avoid counting them twice. Maintenance generally requires a separate reserve.
For current owners, smaller annual increases can create an opportunity to rebuild that reserve rather than assume expenses have returned to normal.
The encouraging development is a cooling pace of cost growth—especially for maintenance. The continuing challenge is paying bills that remain well above their levels five years ago.