Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Janesville, Wisconsin
A $210,000 home here costs
$1,860per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,080. The real number is $781 higher every month — 72% 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.
Janesville against Rock County and Wisconsin
| Measure | Janesville | Rock County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $209,700 | $215,900 |
| Median property tax | $3,669 | $3,652 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.750% | 1.692% |
| Median gross rent | $1,037 | $1,019 |
| Population | 65,813 | 163,944 |
The weather behind that power bill
Janesville sits in Rock County, which averages a high of 83.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.6°F in its coldest, with 37.43" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 711 cooling and 6,947 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Rock County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Rock County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Janesville?
A $210,000 home in Janesville, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,860 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,080 principal and interest, $306 property tax, $54 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $175 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Janesville?
Janesville has an effective property tax rate of 1.750%, based on a median home value of $209,700 and median real estate taxes of $3,669. That is higher than the Rock County average of 1.692%.
What is the average home price in Janesville?
The median owner-occupied home value in Janesville, Wisconsin is $209,700, against $215,900 across Rock County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Janesville?
Median gross rent in Janesville is $1,037 a month, against $1,860 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 Janesville — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
- 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.