Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Cresco, Iowa
A $105,000 home here costs
$1,023per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $540. The real number is $484 higher every month — 90% 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.
Cresco against Howard County and Iowa
| Measure | Cresco | Howard County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $105,200 | $133,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,866 | $1,744 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.774% | 1.302% |
| Median gross rent | $814 | $699 |
| Population | 3,901 | 9,459 |
The weather behind that power bill
Cresco sits in Howard County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 5.7°F in its coldest, with 38" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 590 cooling and 7,839 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Howard County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Howard County
No other places of this size are published in Howard County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Cresco?
A $105,000 home in Cresco, Iowa costs approximately $1,023 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $540 principal and interest, $155 property tax, $46 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $88 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Cresco?
Cresco has an effective property tax rate of 1.774%, based on a median home value of $105,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,866. That is higher than the Howard County average of 1.302%.
What is the average home price in Cresco?
The median owner-occupied home value in Cresco, Iowa is $105,200, against $133,900 across Howard County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Cresco?
Median gross rent in Cresco is $814 a month, against $1,023 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 Cresco — 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.