Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bedford, Iowa
A $89,000 home here costs
$868per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $458. The real number is $410 higher every month — 90% 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.
Bedford against Taylor County and Iowa
| Measure | Bedford | Taylor County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,900 | $109,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,229 | $1,329 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.382% | 1.211% |
| Median gross rent | $663 | $707 |
| Population | 1,389 | 5,901 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bedford sits in Taylor County, which averages a high of 85.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.4°F in its coldest, with 38.43" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 990 cooling and 6,294 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Taylor County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Taylor County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bedford?
A $89,000 home in Bedford, Iowa costs approximately $868 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $458 principal and interest, $102 property tax, $39 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $74 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bedford?
Bedford has an effective property tax rate of 1.382%, based on a median home value of $88,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,229. That is higher than the Taylor County average of 1.211%.
What is the average home price in Bedford?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bedford, Iowa is $88,900, against $109,700 across Taylor County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bedford?
Median gross rent in Bedford is $663 a month, against $868 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 Bedford — 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.