Cost to Own
United StatesMinnesotaGrant CountyElbow Lake Population 1,158 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Elbow Lake, Minnesota

A $119,000 home here costs

$1,109

per 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 $497 higher every month — 81% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Elbow Lake median: $118,900
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $95,200 borrowed $612
Property tax1.268% effective rate for Elbow Lake itself $126
Homeowners insuranceMinnesota averages $1,607/yr (NAIC), or 0.521% of home value $52
Electricity16.95¢/kWh — Minnesota residential average, EIA $152
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $99
Total monthly $1,109

Elbow Lake against Grant County and Minnesota

MeasureElbow LakeGrant County
Median home value$118,900$178,600
Median property tax$1,508$1,677
Effective tax rate1.268%0.939%
Median gross rent$746$779
Population1,1586,108

The weather behind that power bill

Elbow Lake sits in Grant County, which averages a high of 80.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 2.3°F in its coldest, with 24.09" of precipitation a year and 46% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 495 cooling and 8,653 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Grant County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Grant County

No other places of this size are published in Grant County.

Full Grant County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Elbow Lake?

A $119,000 home in Elbow Lake, Minnesota costs approximately $1,109 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $612 principal and interest, $126 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $99 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Elbow Lake?

Elbow Lake has an effective property tax rate of 1.268%, based on a median home value of $118,900 and median real estate taxes of $1,508. That is higher than the Grant County average of 0.939%.

What is the average home price in Elbow Lake?

The median owner-occupied home value in Elbow Lake, Minnesota is $118,900, against $178,600 across Grant County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Elbow Lake?

Median gross rent in Elbow Lake is $746 a month, against $1,109 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 Elbow Lake — 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.

Full methodology