Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Emporia, Kansas
A $128,000 home here costs
$1,231per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $658. The real number is $573 higher every month — 87% 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.
Emporia against Lyon County and Kansas
| Measure | Emporia | Lyon County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $127,500 | $142,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,244 | $2,272 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.760% | 1.598% |
| Median gross rent | $793 | $796 |
| Population | 24,098 | 32,145 |
The weather behind that power bill
Emporia sits in Lyon County, which averages a high of 88.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.2°F in its coldest, with 35.82" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,235 cooling and 5,284 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lyon County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lyon County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Emporia?
A $128,000 home in Emporia, Kansas costs approximately $1,231 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $658 principal and interest, $188 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $107 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Emporia?
Emporia has an effective property tax rate of 1.760%, based on a median home value of $127,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,244. That is higher than the Lyon County average of 1.598%.
What is the average home price in Emporia?
The median owner-occupied home value in Emporia, Kansas is $127,500, against $142,200 across Lyon County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Emporia?
Median gross rent in Emporia is $793 a month, against $1,231 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 Emporia — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- 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.