Home Affordability in San Juan County, WA
A typical home in San Juan County is worth $896,993, down 0.1% year over year. The effective property tax rate is 0.53% of value, and the 2026 conforming loan limit here is $832,750 — borrow more than that and you need a jumbo loan.
Assumes housing costs stay at 33% of gross income — the sustainable middle, not the maximum a lender would approve. A typical home in San Juan County costs $896,993. 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 | $332,000 | $273,000 | $249,000 | $266,000 |
| $100,000 | $455,000 | $373,000 | $341,000 | $365,000 |
| $125,000 | $578,000 | $474,000 | $433,000 | $463,000 |
| $150,000 | $700,000 | $575,000 | $525,000 | $561,000 |
| $200,000 | $946,000 | $776,000 | $710,000 | $758,000 |
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 San Juan County
| Town | Typical home | Year over year | Income needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Harbor | $883,397 | -0.3% | $187,000 | Details |
| Eastsound | $926,556 | +1.1% | $196,000 | Details |
| Olga | $950,862 | +2.4% | $201,000 | Details |
The cheapest places in the county are Friday Harbor ($883K), Eastsound ($927K), Olga ($951K).
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 San Juan County that difference is worth roughly $175K 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 $49K more house than a credit-union 100% loan here.