Here's What the Average Homeowner Spends on Maintenance Each Year

How much should you budget?

There's no single right number, but two rules of thumb are widely used. The 1% rule says to set aside about 1% of your home's value each year, and more for older homes. The square-foot rule says to budget about $1 per square foot of living space per year.

The national median single-family home price was about $404,300 in early 2026. For a $400,000 home, the 1% rule works out to $4,000 a year, or about $333 a month. Using a 2% estimate, a recent Bankrate analysis put the average annual cost of home maintenance at about $8,808, so the higher end of the range is very real for many owners.

What pushes your costs higher

• Age: homes older than about 20 years have more systems near the end of their life.
• Climate: snow, freeze-thaw cycles, humidity, and storms wear a house faster.
• Size and features: more square footage, pools, and big yards mean more upkeep.
• Deferred maintenance: skipped upkeep turns into bigger repairs later.

Where the money usually goes

• HVAC tune-ups and filter changes
• Gutter cleaning and roof repairs
• Plumbing fixes, from running toilets to water heater flushes
• Appliance repairs
• Exterior painting, caulking, and sealing
• Lawn, tree, and pest care

How to budget without the stress

Open a separate savings account for home upkeep and automate a monthly transfer. Keep a simple list of your major systems and their ages so you can see big replacements coming years ahead. Following a seasonal maintenance calendar spreads costs out and catches problems while they're still small.