Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Clifton, Colorado
A $234,000 home here costs
$1,759per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,203. The real number is $556 higher every month — 46% 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.
Clifton against Mesa County and Colorado
| Measure | Clifton | Mesa County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,200 | $349,400 |
| Median property tax | $960 | $1,357 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.410% | 0.388% |
| Median gross rent | $1,035 | $1,154 |
| Population | 19,746 | 157,316 |
The weather behind that power bill
Clifton sits in Mesa County, which averages a high of 93.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.2°F in its coldest, with 8.89" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,284 cooling and 5,259 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Mesa County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Mesa County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Clifton?
A $234,000 home in Clifton, Colorado costs approximately $1,759 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,203 principal and interest, $80 property tax, $68 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $195 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Clifton?
Clifton has an effective property tax rate of 0.410%, based on a median home value of $234,200 and median real estate taxes of $960. That is higher than the Mesa County average of 0.388%.
What is the average home price in Clifton?
The median owner-occupied home value in Clifton, Colorado is $234,200, against $349,400 across Mesa County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Clifton?
Median gross rent in Clifton is $1,035 a month, against $1,759 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 Clifton — 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.