Home Affordability in Mason County, WA
A typical home in Mason County is worth $451,737, up 0.2% year over year. The effective property tax rate is 0.75% of value, and the 2026 conforming loan limit here is $832,750 — borrow more than that and you need a jumbo loan.
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Assumes housing costs stay at 33% of gross income — the sustainable middle, not the maximum a lender would approve. A typical home in Mason County costs $451,737. Rates as of 5 September 2026; they move weekly and your quote will differ.
What each income buys here
| Household income | Conventional | VA | Zero-down CU | FHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $328,000 | $270,000 | $248,000 | $264,000 |
| $100,000 | $446,000 | $368,000 | $338,000 | $360,000 |
| $125,000 | $565,000 | $466,000 | $427,000 | $456,000 |
| $150,000 | $684,000 | $564,000 | $517,000 | $552,000 |
| $200,000 | $922,000 | $760,000 | $697,000 | $743,000 |
Conventional assumes 20% down. VA and credit-union 100% financing assume zero down with the funding fee financed into the loan; FHA assumes 3.5% down with mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. All hold housing at 33% of gross income and cap total debt at the program’s underwriting limit.
Towns in Mason County
| Town | Typical home | Year over year | Income needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelton | $423,446 | +0.1% | $95,000 | Details |
| Belfair | $481,606 | 0% | $107,000 | Details |
| Grapeview | $624,623 | +2.2% | $137,000 | Details |
| Allyn | $536,554 | -0.2% | $119,000 | Details |
| Tahuya | $437,571 | +1.3% | $98,000 | Details |
| Union | $516,706 | +0.3% | $115,000 | Details |
| Hoodsport | $347,409 | -1.5% | $79,000 | Details |
| Lilliwaup | $361,686 | +0.3% | $82,000 | Details |
The cheapest places in the county are Hoodsport ($347K), Lilliwaup ($362K), Shelton ($423K).
How the zero-down math actually works
Putting nothing down does not simply move the down payment to zero — it costs you twice. Zero-down programs price above conventional, and they finance a funding fee into the balance, so you start out owing more than the house cost. In Mason County that difference is worth roughly $167K of purchasing power at a $150,000 income.
The exception is the VA loan. If anyone on the loan is Active Duty, Reserve, or a Veteran, it prices below conventional and charges no mortgage insurance — and the funding fee is waived entirely with any VA disability rating. It is almost always the cheapest zero-down option, and it is worth about $47K more house than a credit-union 100% loan here.