Cost to Own
United StatesColoradoChaffee CountyBuena Vista Population 2,966 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Buena Vista, Colorado

A $496,000 home here costs

$3,472

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,550. The real number is $922 higher every month — 36% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Buena Vista median: $495,800
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $396,800 borrowed $2,550
Property tax0.367% effective rate for Buena Vista itself $152
Homeowners insuranceColorado averages $1,802/yr (NAIC), or 0.348% of home value $144
Electricity16.16¢/kWh — Colorado residential average, EIA $145
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $413
Total monthly $3,472

Buena Vista against Chaffee County and Colorado

MeasureBuena VistaChaffee County
Median home value$495,800$598,500
Median property tax$1,818$1,664
Effective tax rate0.367%0.278%
Median gross rent$1,519$1,514
Population2,96619,876

The weather behind that power bill

Buena Vista sits in Chaffee County, which averages a high of 83.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.1°F in its coldest, with 9.93" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 130 cooling and 7,521 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Chaffee County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Chaffee County

Full Chaffee County cost breakdown · Every county in Colorado

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Buena Vista?

A $496,000 home in Buena Vista, Colorado costs approximately $3,472 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,550 principal and interest, $152 property tax, $144 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $413 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Buena Vista?

Buena Vista has an effective property tax rate of 0.367%, based on a median home value of $495,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,818. That is higher than the Chaffee County average of 0.278%.

What is the average home price in Buena Vista?

The median owner-occupied home value in Buena Vista, Colorado is $495,800, against $598,500 across Chaffee County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Buena Vista?

Median gross rent in Buena Vista is $1,519 a month, against $3,472 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 Buena Vista — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Colorado.
  • 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.

Full methodology