Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Junta, Colorado
A $181,000 home here costs
$1,392per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $931. The real number is $462 higher every month — 50% 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.
La Junta against Otero County and Colorado
| Measure | La Junta | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,700 | $160,700 |
| Median property tax | $540 | $518 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.299% | 0.322% |
| Median gross rent | $709 | $796 |
| Population | 7,211 | 18,460 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Junta sits in Otero County, which averages a high of 94.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.6°F in its coldest, with 13.37" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,042 cooling and 5,698 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Otero County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Otero County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Junta?
A $181,000 home in La Junta, Colorado costs approximately $1,392 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $931 principal and interest, $45 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $151 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Junta?
La Junta has an effective property tax rate of 0.299%, based on a median home value of $180,700 and median real estate taxes of $540. That is lower than the Otero County average of 0.322%.
What is the average home price in La Junta?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Junta, Colorado is $180,700, against $160,700 across Otero County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Junta?
Median gross rent in La Junta is $709 a month, against $1,392 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 La Junta — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Colorado.
- 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.