Closing costs are a bundle, not one fee
“Closing costs” is shorthand for a whole set of separate charges due at settlement, commonly totaling 2% to 5% of the home price. Lenders are required to give you an itemized Loan Estimate within three days of applying, but this calculator lets you see the shape of that bundle and adjust each piece before you’re even far enough along to have one.
How much are closing costs on a house?
The table below applies this calculator’s default assumptions — 0.5% transfer tax, 1% loan origination, 0.5% title insurance, 10% down, plus $3,750 in fixed fees (appraisal, attorney, recording, prepaid escrow, and miscellaneous) — across a range of home prices.
| Home price | Est. total closing costs | As % of price |
|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $7,550 | 3.77% |
| $300,000 | $9,450 | 3.15% |
| $400,000 | $11,350 | 2.84% |
| $500,000 | $13,250 | 2.65% |
| $600,000 | $15,150 | 2.53% |
| $700,000 | $17,050 | 2.44% |
| $800,000 | $18,950 | 2.37% |
Notice the percentage steadily declines as price rises, even though the dollar total grows. That’s because a meaningful chunk of closing costs — the appraisal, attorney fees, recording fees — are flat dollar amounts that don’t scale with home price, so they make up a shrinking share of the total as the price-based fees (transfer tax, origination, title) grow.
The one line item that’s genuinely state-specific
Real estate transfer tax is set by state and sometimes county or city law, and it’s the one closing cost that’s actually determined by where the property sits rather than by your lender or title company. Sixteen states — Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming — charge no statewide transfer tax at all, though some of their counties or cities still do. Everywhere else, rates run anywhere from a fraction of a percent to several percent, and often vary further by county. This calculator defaults to $0 in the sixteen no-tax states and a rough placeholder elsewhere — treat that placeholder as a starting point, not a quote, and confirm the real number with a title company or your county recorder.
Understanding each line item
Transfer tax
A tax charged when property ownership transfers, set by state and sometimes county or city. The only closing cost genuinely determined by location rather than by which companies you choose.
Loan origination fee
What your lender charges to process, underwrite, and fund the loan, typically expressed as a percentage of the loan amount rather than the home price.
Title insurance & search
Protects you and your lender against a defect in the property’s title — a prior claim, lien, or ownership dispute that a search of public records didn’t catch. Often shoppable independently of your lender.
Appraisal
A licensed appraiser’s estimate of the home’s value, required by nearly every lender to confirm the property is worth what you’re borrowing against it. A flat fee that doesn’t scale with home price.
Attorney / settlement fees
Charged by the attorney or settlement agent who conducts the closing itself. Required by law in some states (called “attorney states”) and optional but common in others.
Recording fees
What your local government charges to officially record the new deed and mortgage in public records. A small, fairly fixed cost.
Prepaid tax & insurance escrow
Not really a “cost” so much as prefunding your escrow account — several months of property tax and homeowners insurance collected upfront so your lender has a cushion before your regular monthly payments start building it back up.
Why the rest of the list isn’t really “by state”
Loan origination fees, title insurance, appraisal costs, and attorney or settlement fees are set by your lender, your title company, and in some states, local custom — not by state law. They vary more by which companies you choose than by which state you’re in. That’s why this calculator makes every one of them an adjustable field with a reasonable starting estimate, rather than pretending there’s a single correct number for “Ohio” or “Georgia.”
The fee you can actually negotiate or shop
Title insurance and settlement services are the most shoppable closing cost in most states — you’re often not required to use whoever your lender or agent suggests. Getting a second quote on title insurance alone can meaningfully move your total, especially on a higher-priced home where that fee scales with price.
Using this calculator
Start with your state to set a reasonable transfer tax baseline, then adjust every other line item as you get real quotes from your lender and title company. The itemized table below the calculator breaks out every component so you can see exactly where the total comes from, not just the bottom line.
This article is for educational purposes only and isn't legal, financial, or tax advice. See our Disclaimer for details.
