Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Forest City, Iowa
A $136,000 home here costs
$1,263per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $699. The real number is $564 higher every month — 81% 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.
Forest City against Hancock County and Iowa
| Measure | Forest City | Hancock County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,400 | $129,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,363 | $1,541 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.732% | 1.192% |
| Median gross rent | $719 | $784 |
| Population | 4,280 | 10,718 |
Forest City extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Hancock County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Forest City sits in Hancock County, which averages a high of 82.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 6.3°F in its coldest, with 34.3" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 650 cooling and 7,722 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hancock County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hancock County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Forest City?
A $136,000 home in Forest City, Iowa costs approximately $1,263 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $699 principal and interest, $196 property tax, $59 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $113 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Forest City?
Forest City has an effective property tax rate of 1.732%, based on a median home value of $136,400 and median real estate taxes of $2,363. That is higher than the Hancock County average of 1.192%.
What is the average home price in Forest City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Forest City, Iowa is $136,400, against $129,300 across Hancock County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forest City?
Median gross rent in Forest City is $719 a month, against $1,263 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 Forest City — 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.