Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Alta, Iowa
A $126,000 home here costs
$1,163per 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 $50,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $687. The real number is $476 higher every month, 69% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Buena Vista County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Alta from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,344 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Buena Vista County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Alta against Buena Vista County and Iowa
| Measure | Alta | Buena Vista County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,800 | $146,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,272 | $1,822 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.011% | 1.240% |
| Median gross rent | $915 | $835 |
| Population | 2,344 | 20,684 |
The weather behind that power bill
Alta sits in Buena Vista County, which averages a high of 82.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.8°F in its coldest, with 33.75" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 754 cooling and 7,230 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Buena Vista County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Buena Vista County
Full Buena Vista County cost breakdown · Every county in Iowa
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Alta 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 Alta 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 Alta?
A $126,000 home in Alta, Iowa costs approximately $1,163 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $687 principal and interest, $106 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $105 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Alta?
Alta has an effective property tax rate of 1.011%, based on a median home value of $125,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,272. That is lower than the Buena Vista County average of 1.240%.
What is the average home price in Alta?
The median owner-occupied home value in Alta, Iowa is $125,800, against $146,900 across Buena Vista County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Alta?
Median gross rent in Alta is $915 a month, against $1,163 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 Alta?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Alta, Iowa at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $50,000 a year. That covers the full $1,163 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Alta, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Iowa.
- 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.