Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in DeForest, Wisconsin
A $338,000 home here costs
$2,818per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,738. The real number is $1,080 higher every month — 62% 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.
DeForest against Dane County and Wisconsin
| Measure | DeForest | Dane County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $337,500 | $366,100 |
| Median property tax | $5,586 | $6,276 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.655% | 1.714% |
| Median gross rent | $1,381 | $1,345 |
| Population | 10,853 | 564,777 |
The weather behind that power bill
DeForest sits in Dane County, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.1°F in its coldest, with 40.18" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 640 cooling and 7,097 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dane County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dane County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in DeForest?
A $338,000 home in DeForest, Wisconsin costs approximately $2,818 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,738 principal and interest, $466 property tax, $87 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $282 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in DeForest?
DeForest has an effective property tax rate of 1.655%, based on a median home value of $337,500 and median real estate taxes of $5,586. That is lower than the Dane County average of 1.714%.
What is the average home price in DeForest?
The median owner-occupied home value in DeForest, Wisconsin is $337,500, against $366,100 across Dane County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in DeForest?
Median gross rent in DeForest is $1,381 a month, against $2,818 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 DeForest — 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.