Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Forreston, Illinois
A $117,000 home here costs
$1,213per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $601. The real number is $612 higher every month — 102% 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.
Forreston against Ogle County and Illinois
| Measure | Forreston | Ogle County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,500 | $184,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,225 | $3,737 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.910% | 2.030% |
| Median gross rent | $783 | $901 |
| Population | 1,148 | 51,536 |
The weather behind that power bill
Forreston sits in Ogle County, which averages a high of 83.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 14.5°F in its coldest, with 37.24" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 839 cooling and 6,497 heating degree days, which is what sets the $214 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ogle County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ogle County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Forreston?
A $117,000 home in Forreston, Illinois costs approximately $1,213 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $601 principal and interest, $186 property tax, $46 homeowners insurance, $282 utilities and $98 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Forreston?
Forreston has an effective property tax rate of 1.910%, based on a median home value of $116,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,225. That is lower than the Ogle County average of 2.030%.
What is the average home price in Forreston?
The median owner-occupied home value in Forreston, Illinois is $116,500, against $184,100 across Ogle County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forreston?
Median gross rent in Forreston is $783 a month, against $1,213 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 Forreston — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Illinois.
- 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.