Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lake Orion, Michigan
A $347,000 home here costs
$2,925per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,784. The real number is $1,141 higher every month — 64% 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 Orion against Oakland County and Michigan
| Measure | Lake Orion | Oakland County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $346,700 | $320,400 |
| Median property tax | $5,473 | $4,241 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.579% | 1.324% |
| Median gross rent | $757 | $1,319 |
| Population | 2,873 | 1,272,294 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lake Orion sits in Oakland County, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.5°F in its coldest, with 29.16" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 658 cooling and 6,679 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Oakland County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Oakland County
Full Oakland County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lake Orion?
A $347,000 home in Lake Orion, Michigan costs approximately $2,925 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,784 principal and interest, $457 property tax, $130 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $289 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lake Orion?
Lake Orion has an effective property tax rate of 1.579%, based on a median home value of $346,700 and median real estate taxes of $5,473. That is higher than the Oakland County average of 1.324%.
What is the average home price in Lake Orion?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lake Orion, Michigan is $346,700, against $320,400 across Oakland County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lake Orion?
Median gross rent in Lake Orion is $757 a month, against $2,925 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 Orion — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Michigan.
- 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.