Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Charles City, Iowa
A $119,000 home here costs
$1,107per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $612. The real number is $495 higher every month — 81% 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.
Charles City against Floyd County and Iowa
| Measure | Charles City | Floyd County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,900 | $133,300 |
| Median property tax | $1,783 | $1,854 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.500% | 1.391% |
| Median gross rent | $628 | $672 |
| Population | 7,321 | 15,502 |
The weather behind that power bill
Charles City sits in Floyd County, which averages a high of 82.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.6°F in its coldest, with 37.72" of precipitation a year and 43% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 652 cooling and 7,356 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Floyd County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Floyd County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Charles City?
A $119,000 home in Charles City, Iowa costs approximately $1,107 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $612 principal and interest, $149 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $99 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Charles City?
Charles City has an effective property tax rate of 1.500%, based on a median home value of $118,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,783. That is higher than the Floyd County average of 1.391%.
What is the average home price in Charles City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Charles City, Iowa is $118,900, against $133,300 across Floyd County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Charles City?
Median gross rent in Charles City is $628 a month, against $1,107 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 Charles City — 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.