Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Dubuque, Iowa
A $193,000 home here costs
$1,651per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $992. The real number is $658 higher every month — 66% 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.
Dubuque against Dubuque County and Iowa
| Measure | Dubuque | Dubuque County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $193,100 | $226,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,623 | $2,848 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.358% | 1.260% |
| Median gross rent | $943 | $944 |
| Population | 59,271 | 98,948 |
The weather behind that power bill
Dubuque sits in Dubuque County, which averages a high of 81.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.1°F in its coldest, with 38.2" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 638 cooling and 7,084 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dubuque County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dubuque County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Dubuque?
A $193,000 home in Dubuque, Iowa costs approximately $1,651 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $992 principal and interest, $218 property tax, $84 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $161 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Dubuque?
Dubuque has an effective property tax rate of 1.358%, based on a median home value of $193,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,623. That is higher than the Dubuque County average of 1.260%.
What is the average home price in Dubuque?
The median owner-occupied home value in Dubuque, Iowa is $193,100, against $226,100 across Dubuque County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dubuque?
Median gross rent in Dubuque is $943 a month, against $1,651 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 Dubuque — 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.