Cost to Own
United StatesAlabamaEtowah CountyGadsden Population 33,617 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Gadsden, Alabama

A $102,000 home here costs

$942

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $524. The real number is $417 higher every month — 80% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Gadsden median: $101,900
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $81,600 borrowed $524
Property tax0.516% effective rate for Gadsden itself $44
Homeowners insuranceAlabama averages $1,610/yr (NAIC), or 0.819% of home value $70
Electricity16.77¢/kWh — Alabama residential average, EIA $151
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $85
Total monthly $942

Gadsden against Etowah County and Alabama

MeasureGadsdenEtowah County
Median home value$101,900$160,600
Median property tax$526$585
Effective tax rate0.516%0.364%
Median gross rent$787$807
Population33,617103,208

The weather behind that power bill

Gadsden sits in Etowah County, which averages a high of 90.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.8°F in its coldest, with 57.64" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,018 cooling and 2,782 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Etowah County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Etowah County

Full Etowah County cost breakdown · Every county in Alabama

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Gadsden?

A $102,000 home in Gadsden, Alabama costs approximately $942 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $524 principal and interest, $44 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $85 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Gadsden?

Gadsden has an effective property tax rate of 0.516%, based on a median home value of $101,900 and median real estate taxes of $526. That is higher than the Etowah County average of 0.364%.

What is the average home price in Gadsden?

The median owner-occupied home value in Gadsden, Alabama is $101,900, against $160,600 across Etowah County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Gadsden?

Median gross rent in Gadsden is $787 a month, against $942 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 Gadsden — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Alabama.
  • 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.

Full methodology