Cost to Own
United StatesMissouriSt. Louis CountyKirkwood Population 29,302 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Kirkwood, Missouri

A $422,000 home here costs

$3,310

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,170. The real number is $1,140 higher every month — 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Kirkwood median: $421,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $337,600 borrowed $2,170
Property tax1.074% effective rate for Kirkwood itself $378
Homeowners insuranceMissouri averages $1,340/yr (NAIC), or 0.625% of home value $220
Electricity13.68¢/kWh — Missouri residential average, EIA $123
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $352
Total monthly $3,310

Kirkwood against St. Louis County and Missouri

MeasureKirkwoodSt. Louis County
Median home value$421,500$260,700
Median property tax$4,525$3,193
Effective tax rate1.074%1.225%
Median gross rent$1,293$1,164
Population29,302996,618

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 $123 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

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Kirkwood?

A $422,000 home in Kirkwood, Missouri costs approximately $3,310 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,170 principal and interest, $378 property tax, $220 homeowners insurance, $191 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 $3,310 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 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.

Full methodology