Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lake Mills, Iowa
A $127,000 home here costs
$1,161per 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 $508 higher every month — 78% 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.
Lake Mills against Winnebago County and Iowa
| Measure | Lake Mills | Winnebago County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $127,100 | $132,300 |
| Median property tax | $1,828 | $1,800 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.438% | 1.361% |
| Median gross rent | $615 | $712 |
| Population | 2,054 | 10,648 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lake Mills sits in Winnebago County, which averages a high of 81.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 5.6°F in its coldest, with 35.92" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 588 cooling and 7,857 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Winnebago County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Winnebago County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lake Mills?
A $127,000 home in Lake Mills, Iowa costs approximately $1,161 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $653 principal and interest, $152 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $106 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lake Mills?
Lake Mills has an effective property tax rate of 1.438%, based on a median home value of $127,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,828. That is higher than the Winnebago County average of 1.361%.
What is the average home price in Lake Mills?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lake Mills, Iowa is $127,100, against $132,300 across Winnebago County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lake Mills?
Median gross rent in Lake Mills is $615 a month, against $1,161 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 Lake Mills — 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.