Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Houghton Lake, Michigan
A $123,000 home here costs
$1,158per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $632. The real number is $525 higher every month — 83% 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.
Houghton Lake against Roscommon County and Michigan
| Measure | Houghton Lake | Roscommon County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,800 | $148,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,329 | $1,552 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.082% | 1.049% |
| Median gross rent | $791 | $789 |
| Population | 5,761 | 23,639 |
The weather behind that power bill
Houghton Lake sits in Roscommon County, which averages a high of 80.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.0°F in its coldest, with 29.59" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 337 cooling and 7,898 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Roscommon County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Roscommon County
Full Roscommon County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Houghton Lake?
A $123,000 home in Houghton Lake, Michigan costs approximately $1,158 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $632 principal and interest, $111 property tax, $46 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $103 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Houghton Lake?
Houghton Lake has an effective property tax rate of 1.082%, based on a median home value of $122,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,329. That is higher than the Roscommon County average of 1.049%.
What is the average home price in Houghton Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Houghton Lake, Michigan is $122,800, against $148,000 across Roscommon County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Houghton Lake?
Median gross rent in Houghton Lake is $791 a month, against $1,158 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 Houghton Lake — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Michigan.
- 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.