Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Garrett, Indiana
A $143,000 home here costs
$1,217per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $735. The real number is $482 higher every month — 66% 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.
Garrett against DeKalb County and Indiana
| Measure | Garrett | DeKalb County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $142,800 | $177,900 |
| Median property tax | $850 | $1,117 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.595% | 0.628% |
| Median gross rent | $836 | $828 |
| Population | 6,540 | 43,584 |
The weather behind that power bill
Garrett sits in DeKalb County, which averages a high of 80.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.5°F in its coldest, with 39.52" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 541 cooling and 6,590 heating degree days, which is what sets the $163 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for DeKalb County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in DeKalb County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Garrett?
A $143,000 home in Garrett, Indiana costs approximately $1,217 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $735 principal and interest, $71 property tax, $61 homeowners insurance, $231 utilities and $119 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Garrett?
Garrett has an effective property tax rate of 0.595%, based on a median home value of $142,800 and median real estate taxes of $850. That is lower than the DeKalb County average of 0.628%.
What is the average home price in Garrett?
The median owner-occupied home value in Garrett, Indiana is $142,800, against $177,900 across DeKalb County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Garrett?
Median gross rent in Garrett is $836 a month, against $1,217 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 Garrett — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Indiana.
- 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.