Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Creston, Iowa
A $113,000 home here costs
$1,099per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $581. The real number is $518 higher every month — 89% 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.
Creston against Union County and Iowa
| Measure | Creston | Union County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,600 | $117,800 |
| Median property tax | $2,148 | $2,108 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.908% | 1.789% |
| Median gross rent | $672 | $683 |
| Population | 7,466 | 12,038 |
The weather behind that power bill
Creston sits in Union County, which averages a high of 84.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.6°F in its coldest, with 37.89" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 831 cooling and 6,696 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Union County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Union County
No other places of this size are published in Union County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Creston?
A $113,000 home in Creston, Iowa costs approximately $1,099 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $581 principal and interest, $180 property tax, $49 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $94 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Creston?
Creston has an effective property tax rate of 1.908%, based on a median home value of $112,600 and median real estate taxes of $2,148. That is higher than the Union County average of 1.789%.
What is the average home price in Creston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Creston, Iowa is $112,600, against $117,800 across Union County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Creston?
Median gross rent in Creston is $672 a month, against $1,099 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 Creston — 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.