Cost to Own
United StatesIndianaLake CountyGriffith Population 16,228 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Griffith, Indiana

A $200,000 home here costs

$1,649

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,028. The real number is $621 higher every month — 60% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Griffith median: $200,400
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, $160,000 borrowed $1,028
Property tax0.827% effective rate for Griffith itself $138
Homeowners insuranceIndiana averages $1,058/yr (NAIC), or 0.512% of home value $85
Electricity18.15¢/kWh — Indiana residential average, EIA $163
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $167
Total monthly $1,649

Griffith against Lake County and Indiana

MeasureGriffithLake County
Median home value$200,400$214,700
Median property tax$1,657$1,987
Effective tax rate0.827%0.925%
Median gross rent$1,154$1,094
Population16,228498,990

The weather behind that power bill

Griffith sits in Lake County, which averages a high of 85.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.4°F in its coldest, with 33.35" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 975 cooling and 5,737 heating degree days, which is what sets the $163 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Lake County

Full Lake County cost breakdown · Every county in Indiana

Common questions

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

A $200,000 home in Griffith, Indiana costs approximately $1,649 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,028 principal and interest, $138 property tax, $85 homeowners insurance, $231 utilities and $167 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Griffith?

Griffith has an effective property tax rate of 0.827%, based on a median home value of $200,400 and median real estate taxes of $1,657. That is lower than the Lake County average of 0.925%.

What is the average home price in Griffith?

The median owner-occupied home value in Griffith, Indiana is $200,400, against $214,700 across Lake County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Griffith?

Median gross rent in Griffith is $1,154 a month, against $1,649 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 Griffith — 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.

Full methodology