Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Clear Lake, Wisconsin
A $172,000 home here costs
$1,515per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $884. The real number is $631 higher every month — 71% 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.
Clear Lake against Polk County and Wisconsin
| Measure | Clear Lake | Polk County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,100 | $241,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,378 | $2,947 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.382% | 1.222% |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $958 |
| Population | 1,050 | 45,327 |
The weather behind that power bill
Clear Lake sits in Polk County, which averages a high of 80.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 4.6°F in its coldest, with 32.89" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 500 cooling and 8,078 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Polk County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Polk County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Clear Lake?
A $172,000 home in Clear Lake, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,515 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $884 principal and interest, $198 property tax, $44 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Clear Lake?
Clear Lake has an effective property tax rate of 1.382%, based on a median home value of $172,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,378. That is higher than the Polk County average of 1.222%.
What is the average home price in Clear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Clear Lake, Wisconsin is $172,100, against $241,200 across Polk County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Clear Lake?
Median gross rent in Clear Lake is $910 a month, against $1,515 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 Clear Lake — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
- 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.