Cost to Own
United States › Iowa › Grundy County › Grundy Center Population 2,794 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-10-29
The part nobody budgets Even with the mortgage fully paid off, the median home here still costs $631 a month in taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. See the full Grundy County picture

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Grundy Center, Iowa

A $173,000 home here costs

$1,574

per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $67,500 a year.

P&I 60%Tax 13%Insurance 5%Utilities 13%Upkeep 9%

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $943. The real number is $631 higher every month, 67% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Compare Grundy County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown

Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Grundy Center from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,794 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Grundy County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.

Grundy Center median: $173,200
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
IA 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, $138,400 borrowed $943
Property tax1.400% effective rate for Grundy Center itself $202
Homeowners insuranceIowa averages $1,043/yr (NAIC), or 0.522% of home value $75
Electricity17.06ยข/kWh, Iowa residential average, EIA $142
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $144
Total monthly $1,574

Grundy Center against Grundy County and Iowa

MeasureGrundy CenterGrundy County
Median home value$173,200$180,500
Median property tax$2,424$1,929
Effective tax rate1.400%1.069%
Median gross rent$684$777
Population2,79412,352

The weather behind that power bill

Grundy Center sits in Grundy County, which averages a high of 82.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.7°F in its coldest, with 36.82" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 730 cooling and 7,227 heating degree days, which is what sets the $142 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Grundy County

Full Grundy County cost breakdown · Every county in Iowa

Talk to someone who works this market

These are Grundy Center averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Grundy Center every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.

I'm looking to buy in Grundy Center I already own here and may sell

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Grundy Center?

A $173,000 home in Grundy Center, Iowa costs approximately $1,574 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $943 principal and interest, $202 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $210 utilities and $144 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Grundy Center?

Grundy Center has an effective property tax rate of 1.400%, based on a median home value of $173,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,424. That is higher than the Grundy County average of 1.069%.

What is the average home price in Grundy Center?

The median owner-occupied home value in Grundy Center, Iowa is $173,200, against $180,500 across Grundy County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Grundy Center?

Median gross rent in Grundy Center is $684 a month, against $1,574 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

What salary do you need to buy a home in Grundy Center?

Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Grundy Center, Iowa at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $67,500 a year. That covers the full $1,574 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Grundy Center, 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.

Full methodology