Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kirkwood, Missouri
A $422,000 home here costs
$3,497per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $150,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,319. The real number is $1,178 higher every month, 51% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare St. Louis County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Kirkwood against St. Louis County and Missouri
| Measure | Kirkwood | St. Louis County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $421,500 | $260,700 |
| Median property tax | $4,525 | $3,193 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.074% | 1.225% |
| Median gross rent | $1,293 | $1,164 |
| Population | 29,302 | 996,618 |
The weather behind that power bill
Kirkwood sits in St. Louis County, which averages a high of 89.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.8°F in its coldest, with 41.7" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,713 cooling and 4,433 heating degree days, which is what sets the $160 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for St. Louis County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in St. Louis County
Full St. Louis County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Kirkwood averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Kirkwood every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Kirkwood I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Kirkwood?
A $422,000 home in Kirkwood, Missouri costs approximately $3,497 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $2,319 principal and interest, $378 property tax, $220 homeowners insurance, $228 utilities and $352 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Kirkwood?
Kirkwood has an effective property tax rate of 1.074%, based on a median home value of $421,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,525. That is lower than the St. Louis County average of 1.225%.
What is the average home price in Kirkwood?
The median owner-occupied home value in Kirkwood, Missouri is $421,500, against $260,700 across St. Louis County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Kirkwood?
Median gross rent in Kirkwood is $1,293 a month, against $3,497 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Kirkwood?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Kirkwood, Missouri at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $150,000 a year. That covers the full $3,497 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Kirkwood, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Missouri.
- 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.