Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fort Dodge, Iowa
A $129,000 home here costs
$1,209per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $663. The real number is $546 higher every month — 82% 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.
Fort Dodge against Webster County and Iowa
| Measure | Fort Dodge | Webster County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,900 | $138,500 |
| Median property tax | $2,247 | $2,047 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.743% | 1.478% |
| Median gross rent | $764 | $762 |
| Population | 24,788 | 36,848 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fort Dodge sits in Webster County, which averages a high of 82.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.4°F in its coldest, with 35.09" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 677 cooling and 7,388 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Webster County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Webster County
No other places of this size are published in Webster County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fort Dodge?
A $129,000 home in Fort Dodge, Iowa costs approximately $1,209 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $663 principal and interest, $187 property tax, $56 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $108 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fort Dodge?
Fort Dodge has an effective property tax rate of 1.743%, based on a median home value of $128,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,247. That is higher than the Webster County average of 1.478%.
What is the average home price in Fort Dodge?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fort Dodge, Iowa is $128,900, against $138,500 across Webster County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fort Dodge?
Median gross rent in Fort Dodge is $764 a month, against $1,209 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 Fort Dodge — 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.