Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Dawson, Minnesota
A $119,000 home here costs
$1,108per 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 $496 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.
Dawson against Lac qui Parle County and Minnesota
| Measure | Dawson | Lac qui Parle County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,800 | $143,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,493 | $1,360 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.257% | 0.948% |
| Median gross rent | $618 | $809 |
| Population | 1,441 | 6,694 |
The weather behind that power bill
Dawson sits in Lac qui Parle County, which averages a high of 82.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 2.6°F in its coldest, with 25.64" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 608 cooling and 8,281 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lac qui Parle County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lac qui Parle County
Full Lac qui Parle County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Dawson?
A $119,000 home in Dawson, Minnesota costs approximately $1,108 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $612 principal and interest, $125 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $99 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Dawson?
Dawson has an effective property tax rate of 1.257%, based on a median home value of $118,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,493. That is higher than the Lac qui Parle County average of 0.948%.
What is the average home price in Dawson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Dawson, Minnesota is $118,800, against $143,400 across Lac qui Parle County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dawson?
Median gross rent in Dawson is $618 a month, against $1,108 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 Dawson — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Minnesota.
- 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.