Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Appleton, Wisconsin
A $212,000 home here costs
$1,856per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,090. The real number is $766 higher every month — 70% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Appleton against Outagamie County and Wisconsin
| Measure | Appleton | Outagamie County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $211,500 | $244,100 |
| Median property tax | $3,466 | $3,580 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.639% | 1.467% |
| Median gross rent | $957 | $998 |
| Population | 74,873 | 191,537 |
Appleton extends across 3 counties. Figures here use Outagamie County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Appleton sits in Outagamie County, which averages a high of 81.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.1°F in its coldest, with 31.61" of precipitation a year and 35% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 508 cooling and 7,505 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Outagamie County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Outagamie County
Full Outagamie County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Appleton?
A $212,000 home in Appleton, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,856 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,090 principal and interest, $290 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $177 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Appleton?
Appleton has an effective property tax rate of 1.639%, based on a median home value of $211,500 and median real estate taxes of $3,466. That is higher than the Outagamie County average of 1.467%.
What is the average home price in Appleton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Appleton, Wisconsin is $211,500, against $244,100 across Outagamie County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Appleton?
Median gross rent in Appleton is $957 a month, against $1,856 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Appleton — 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.