Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Alma, Michigan
A $108,000 home here costs
$1,090per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $46,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $589. The real number is $501 higher every month, 85% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Gratiot County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Alma against Gratiot County and Michigan
| Measure | Alma | Gratiot County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,100 | $136,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,930 | $1,739 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.785% | 1.271% |
| Median gross rent | $791 | $808 |
| Population | 9,421 | 41,478 |
The weather behind that power bill
Alma sits in Gratiot County, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.0°F in its coldest, with 34.5" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 544 cooling and 7,051 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Gratiot County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Gratiot County
Full Gratiot County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Alma averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Alma every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Alma?
A $108,000 home in Alma, Michigan costs approximately $1,090 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $589 principal and interest, $161 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $90 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Alma?
Alma has an effective property tax rate of 1.785%, based on a median home value of $108,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,930. That is higher than the Gratiot County average of 1.271%.
What is the average home price in Alma?
The median owner-occupied home value in Alma, Michigan is $108,100, against $136,800 across Gratiot County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Alma?
Median gross rent in Alma is $791 a month, against $1,090 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Alma?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Alma, Michigan at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $46,500 a year. That covers the full $1,090 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Alma, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Michigan.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.