Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Belle Plaine, Iowa
A $112,000 home here costs
$1,058per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $576. The real number is $482 higher every month — 84% 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.
Belle Plaine against Benton County and Iowa
| Measure | Belle Plaine | Benton County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,600 | $198,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,729 | $2,627 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.549% | 1.324% |
| Median gross rent | $796 | $815 |
| Population | 2,412 | 25,698 |
The weather behind that power bill
Belle Plaine sits in Benton County, which averages a high of 81.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.1°F in its coldest, with 37.93" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 540 cooling and 7,441 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Benton County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Benton County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Belle Plaine?
A $112,000 home in Belle Plaine, Iowa costs approximately $1,058 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $576 principal and interest, $145 property tax, $49 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $93 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Belle Plaine?
Belle Plaine has an effective property tax rate of 1.549%, based on a median home value of $111,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,729. That is higher than the Benton County average of 1.324%.
What is the average home price in Belle Plaine?
The median owner-occupied home value in Belle Plaine, Iowa is $111,600, against $198,400 across Benton County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Belle Plaine?
Median gross rent in Belle Plaine is $796 a month, against $1,058 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 Belle Plaine — 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.