Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Denison, Iowa
A $138,000 home here costs
$1,274per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $709. The real number is $564 higher every month — 80% 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.
Denison against Crawford County and Iowa
| Measure | Denison | Crawford County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,600 | $136,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,323 | $1,799 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.688% | 1.320% |
| Median gross rent | $770 | $727 |
| Population | 8,247 | 16,289 |
The weather behind that power bill
Denison sits in Crawford County, which averages a high of 83.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 9.8°F in its coldest, with 33.64" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 755 cooling and 7,112 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Crawford County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Crawford County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Denison?
A $138,000 home in Denison, Iowa costs approximately $1,274 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $709 principal and interest, $194 property tax, $60 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $115 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Denison?
Denison has an effective property tax rate of 1.688%, based on a median home value of $137,600 and median real estate taxes of $2,323. That is higher than the Crawford County average of 1.320%.
What is the average home price in Denison?
The median owner-occupied home value in Denison, Iowa is $137,600, against $136,300 across Crawford County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Denison?
Median gross rent in Denison is $770 a month, against $1,274 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 Denison — 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.