Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Amherst, Wisconsin
A $218,000 home here costs
$1,859per 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 $79,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,189. The real number is $671 higher every month, 56% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Portage County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Amherst from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,033 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 Portage 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.
Amherst against Portage County and Wisconsin
| Measure | Amherst | Portage County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $218,000 | $230,400 |
| Median property tax | $2,875 | $3,396 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.319% | 1.474% |
| Median gross rent | $829 | $903 |
| Population | 1,033 | 70,375 |
The weather behind that power bill
Amherst sits in Portage County, which averages a high of 79.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.1°F in its coldest, with 33.97" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 451 cooling and 8,037 heating degree days, which is what sets the $125 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Portage County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Portage County
Full Portage County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Amherst 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 Amherst every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Amherst I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Amherst?
A $218,000 home in Amherst, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,859 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,189 principal and interest, $240 property tax, $56 homeowners insurance, $193 utilities and $182 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Amherst?
Amherst has an effective property tax rate of 1.319%, based on a median home value of $218,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,875. That is lower than the Portage County average of 1.474%.
What is the average home price in Amherst?
The median owner-occupied home value in Amherst, Wisconsin is $218,000, against $230,400 across Portage County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Amherst?
Median gross rent in Amherst is $829 a month, against $1,859 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 Amherst?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Amherst, Wisconsin at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $79,500 a year. That covers the full $1,859 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Amherst, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
- 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.