Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Emmetsburg, Iowa
A $115,000 home here costs
$1,062per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $591. The real number is $470 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.
Emmetsburg against Palo Alto County and Iowa
| Measure | Emmetsburg | Palo Alto County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,600 | $119,300 |
| Median property tax | $1,548 | $1,471 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.351% | 1.233% |
| Median gross rent | $589 | $599 |
| Population | 3,651 | 8,902 |
The weather behind that power bill
Emmetsburg sits in Palo Alto County, which averages a high of 84.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.4°F in its coldest, with 33.59" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 826 cooling and 7,250 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Palo Alto County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Palo Alto County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Emmetsburg?
A $115,000 home in Emmetsburg, Iowa costs approximately $1,062 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $591 principal and interest, $129 property tax, $50 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $96 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Emmetsburg?
Emmetsburg has an effective property tax rate of 1.351%, based on a median home value of $114,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,548. That is higher than the Palo Alto County average of 1.233%.
What is the average home price in Emmetsburg?
The median owner-occupied home value in Emmetsburg, Iowa is $114,600, against $119,300 across Palo Alto County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Emmetsburg?
Median gross rent in Emmetsburg is $589 a month, against $1,062 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 Emmetsburg — 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.