Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Auburn, Michigan
A $158,000 home here costs
$1,518per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $812. The real number is $705 higher every month — 87% 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.
Auburn against Bay County and Michigan
| Measure | Auburn | Bay County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,500 | $135,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,976 | $2,205 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.890% | 1.632% |
| Median gross rent | $1,036 | $809 |
| Population | 2,045 | 103,235 |
The weather behind that power bill
Auburn sits in Bay County, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.4°F in its coldest, with 32.12" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 631 cooling and 6,782 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Bay County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Bay County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Auburn?
A $158,000 home in Auburn, Michigan costs approximately $1,518 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $812 principal and interest, $249 property tax, $59 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $132 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Auburn?
Auburn has an effective property tax rate of 1.890%, based on a median home value of $157,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,976. That is higher than the Bay County average of 1.632%.
What is the average home price in Auburn?
The median owner-occupied home value in Auburn, Michigan is $157,500, against $135,100 across Bay County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Auburn?
Median gross rent in Auburn is $1,036 a month, against $1,518 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 Auburn — 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.