Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Graettinger, Iowa
A $87,000 home here costs
$835per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $447. The real number is $387 higher every month — 87% 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.
Graettinger against Palo Alto County and Iowa
| Measure | Graettinger | Palo Alto County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $87,000 | $119,300 |
| Median property tax | $981 | $1,471 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.128% | 1.233% |
| Median gross rent | $480 | $599 |
| Population | 1,038 | 8,902 |
The weather behind that power bill
Graettinger sits in Palo Alto County, which averages a high of 84.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.4°F in its coldest, with 33.59" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 826 cooling and 7,250 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Palo Alto County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Palo Alto County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Graettinger?
A $87,000 home in Graettinger, Iowa costs approximately $835 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $447 principal and interest, $82 property tax, $38 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $73 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Graettinger?
Graettinger has an effective property tax rate of 1.128%, based on a median home value of $87,000 and median real estate taxes of $981. That is lower than the Palo Alto County average of 1.233%.
What is the average home price in Graettinger?
The median owner-occupied home value in Graettinger, Iowa is $87,000, against $119,300 across Palo Alto County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Graettinger?
Median gross rent in Graettinger is $480 a month, against $835 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 Graettinger — 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.