Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Bluffton, Indiana
A $137,000 home here costs
$1,205per 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 $51,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $747. The real number is $458 higher every month, 61% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Wells County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Bluffton against Wells County and Indiana
| Measure | Bluffton | Wells County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,800 | $180,000 |
| Median property tax | $767 | $920 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.561% | 0.511% |
| Median gross rent | $816 | $837 |
| Population | 10,539 | 28,261 |
The weather behind that power bill
Bluffton sits in Wells County, which averages a high of 82.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.2°F in its coldest, with 40.03" of precipitation a year and 35% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 798 cooling and 6,184 heating degree days, which is what sets the $153 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Wells County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Wells County
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Bluffton 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 Bluffton every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
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Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Bluffton?
A $137,000 home in Bluffton, Indiana costs approximately $1,205 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $747 principal and interest, $64 property tax, $58 homeowners insurance, $221 utilities and $114 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Bluffton?
Bluffton has an effective property tax rate of 0.561%, based on a median home value of $136,800 and median real estate taxes of $767. That is higher than the Wells County average of 0.511%.
What is the average home price in Bluffton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Bluffton, Indiana is $136,800, against $180,000 across Wells County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Bluffton?
Median gross rent in Bluffton is $816 a month, against $1,205 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 Bluffton?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Bluffton, Indiana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $51,500 a year. That covers the full $1,205 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Bluffton, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Indiana.
- 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.