Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin
A $228,000 home here costs
$1,959per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,172. The real number is $786 higher every month — 67% 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.
Eau Claire against Eau Claire County and Wisconsin
| Measure | Eau Claire | Eau Claire County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,000 | $242,400 |
| Median property tax | $3,506 | $3,461 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.538% | 1.428% |
| Median gross rent | $971 | $977 |
| Population | 69,274 | 106,328 |
Eau Claire extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Eau Claire County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Eau Claire sits in Eau Claire County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 5.8°F in its coldest, with 32.99" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 567 cooling and 7,923 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Eau Claire County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Eau Claire County
Full Eau Claire County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Eau Claire?
A $228,000 home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,959 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,172 principal and interest, $292 property tax, $59 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $190 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Eau Claire?
Eau Claire has an effective property tax rate of 1.538%, based on a median home value of $228,000 and median real estate taxes of $3,506. That is higher than the Eau Claire County average of 1.428%.
What is the average home price in Eau Claire?
The median owner-occupied home value in Eau Claire, Wisconsin is $228,000, against $242,400 across Eau Claire County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Eau Claire?
Median gross rent in Eau Claire is $971 a month, against $1,959 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 Eau Claire — 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.