Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Harlan, Iowa
A $138,000 home here costs
$1,272per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $709. The real number is $563 higher every month — 79% 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.
Harlan against Shelby County and Iowa
| Measure | Harlan | Shelby County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,500 | $156,200 |
| Median property tax | $2,304 | $1,976 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.676% | 1.265% |
| Median gross rent | $856 | $810 |
| Population | 4,896 | 11,757 |
The weather behind that power bill
Harlan sits in Shelby County, which averages a high of 85.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.3°F in its coldest, with 34.33" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 957 cooling and 6,566 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Shelby County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Shelby County
No other places of this size are published in Shelby County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Harlan?
A $138,000 home in Harlan, Iowa costs approximately $1,272 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $709 principal and interest, $193 property tax, $60 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $115 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Harlan?
Harlan has an effective property tax rate of 1.676%, based on a median home value of $137,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,304. That is higher than the Shelby County average of 1.265%.
What is the average home price in Harlan?
The median owner-occupied home value in Harlan, Iowa is $137,500, against $156,200 across Shelby County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Harlan?
Median gross rent in Harlan is $856 a month, against $1,272 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 Harlan — 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.