Where condo and HOA fees are highest
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Nearly a quarter of U.S. homeowners paid condo or homeowners association fees last year, and the median monthly bill was $135, new Census Bureau data shows.
Why it matters: Expensive condo or HOA dues add to the already high cost of homeownership.
Zoom in: New York state posted the highest median monthly condo and HOA fees at $739, followed by Washington, D.C., at $505 and Hawai'i at $470.
- Arizona, Florida and Nevada — home to many retirees living in planned communities — saw the largest shares of households paying condo or HOA fees.
The big picture: Dues pay for maintenance and amenities like pools and gyms, plus other costs that keep a community running.
- Nationwide, HOAs (think: planned and gated communities) are more common than condos and their fees are typically lower, per the Census Bureau.
- These estimates were the first to include information on HOA fees, too.
Friction point: Such associations often enforce strict rules on everything from holiday decor to lawn care, with fines for residents who fail to comply.
- And condo dues are climbing, especially in Florida, where insurance and safety compliance costs run high, a 2024 Redfin analysis found.
The bottom line: "The amount of condo and HOA fees differed widely between and within states," per the Census Bureau.
- Roughly 5.6 million homeowners paid less than $50 a month, while around 3 million paid over $500 a month.
