Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Independence, Kansas
A $79,000 home here costs
$841per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $406. The real number is $435 higher every month — 107% 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.
Independence against Montgomery County and Kansas
| Measure | Independence | Montgomery County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $78,500 | $92,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,417 | $1,562 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.805% | 1.696% |
| Median gross rent | $790 | $759 |
| Population | 8,469 | 31,143 |
The weather behind that power bill
Independence sits in Montgomery County, which averages a high of 90.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.7°F in its coldest, with 45.4" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,618 cooling and 4,284 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Montgomery County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Montgomery County
Full Montgomery County cost breakdown · Every county in Kansas
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Independence?
A $79,000 home in Independence, Kansas costs approximately $841 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $406 principal and interest, $119 property tax, $46 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $66 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Independence?
Independence has an effective property tax rate of 1.805%, based on a median home value of $78,500 and median real estate taxes of $1,417. That is higher than the Montgomery County average of 1.696%.
What is the average home price in Independence?
The median owner-occupied home value in Independence, Kansas is $78,500, against $92,100 across Montgomery County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Independence?
Median gross rent in Independence is $790 a month, against $841 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 Independence — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- 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.