Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Jefferson, Iowa
A $127,000 home here costs
$1,189per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $653. The real number is $536 higher every month — 82% 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.
Jefferson against Greene County and Iowa
| Measure | Jefferson | Greene County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,900 | $140,500 |
| Median property tax | $2,152 | $1,682 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.696% | 1.197% |
| Median gross rent | $745 | $774 |
| Population | 4,164 | 8,722 |
The weather behind that power bill
Jefferson sits in Greene County, which averages a high of 83.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 9.1°F in its coldest, with 35.31" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 768 cooling and 7,002 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Greene County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Greene County
No other places of this size are published in Greene County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Jefferson?
A $127,000 home in Jefferson, Iowa costs approximately $1,189 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $653 principal and interest, $179 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $106 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Jefferson?
Jefferson has an effective property tax rate of 1.696%, based on a median home value of $126,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,152. That is higher than the Greene County average of 1.197%.
What is the average home price in Jefferson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Jefferson, Iowa is $126,900, against $140,500 across Greene County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Jefferson?
Median gross rent in Jefferson is $745 a month, against $1,189 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 Jefferson — 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.