Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ely, Minnesota
A $151,000 home here costs
$1,291per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $776. The real number is $515 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.
Ely against St. Louis County and Minnesota
| Measure | Ely | St. Louis County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $150,800 | $208,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,236 | $2,142 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.820% | 1.027% |
| Median gross rent | $627 | $970 |
| Population | 3,239 | 200,056 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ely sits in St. Louis County, which averages a high of 77.2°F in its hottest month and a low of -1.5°F in its coldest, with 27.58" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 228 cooling and 9,718 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for St. Louis County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in St. Louis County
Full St. Louis County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ely?
A $151,000 home in Ely, Minnesota costs approximately $1,291 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $776 principal and interest, $103 property tax, $66 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $126 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ely?
Ely has an effective property tax rate of 0.820%, based on a median home value of $150,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,236. That is lower than the St. Louis County average of 1.027%.
What is the average home price in Ely?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ely, Minnesota is $150,800, against $208,500 across St. Louis County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ely?
Median gross rent in Ely is $627 a month, against $1,291 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 Ely — 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.