Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Howard City, Michigan
A $144,000 home here costs
$1,300per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $740. The real number is $560 higher every month — 76% 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.
Howard City against Montcalm County and Michigan
| Measure | Howard City | Montcalm County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,800 | $172,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,438 | $1,851 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.000% | 1.076% |
| Median gross rent | $708 | $867 |
| Population | 1,683 | 67,174 |
The weather behind that power bill
Howard City sits in Montcalm County, which averages a high of 84.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.9°F in its coldest, with 36.65" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 520 cooling and 7,060 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Montcalm County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Montcalm County
Full Montcalm County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Howard City?
A $144,000 home in Howard City, Michigan costs approximately $1,300 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $740 principal and interest, $120 property tax, $54 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $120 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Howard City?
Howard City has an effective property tax rate of 1.000%, based on a median home value of $143,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,438. That is lower than the Montcalm County average of 1.076%.
What is the average home price in Howard City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Howard City, Michigan is $143,800, against $172,100 across Montcalm County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Howard City?
Median gross rent in Howard City is $708 a month, against $1,300 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 Howard City — 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.