Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lake St. Louis, Missouri
A $375,000 home here costs
$3,181per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $136,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,077. The real number is $1,104 higher every month, 53% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare St. Charles 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.
Lake St. Louis against St. Charles County and Missouri
| Measure | Lake St. Louis | St. Charles County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $375,300 | $296,800 |
| Median property tax | $4,409 | $3,340 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.175% | 1.125% |
| Median gross rent | $1,608 | $1,312 |
| Population | 17,538 | 409,830 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lake St. Louis sits in St. Charles County, which averages a high of 89.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.0°F in its coldest, with 39.75" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,448 cooling and 4,650 heating degree days, which is what sets the $161 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for St. Charles County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in St. Charles County
Full St. Charles County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Lake St. Louis 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 Lake St. Louis every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Lake St. Louis I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lake St. Louis?
A $375,000 home in Lake St. Louis, Missouri costs approximately $3,181 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $2,077 principal and interest, $367 property tax, $195 homeowners insurance, $229 utilities and $313 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lake St. Louis?
Lake St. Louis has an effective property tax rate of 1.175%, based on a median home value of $375,300 and median real estate taxes of $4,409. That is higher than the St. Charles County average of 1.125%.
What is the average home price in Lake St. Louis?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lake St. Louis, Missouri is $375,300, against $296,800 across St. Charles County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lake St. Louis?
Median gross rent in Lake St. Louis is $1,608 a month, against $3,181 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 Lake St. Louis?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Lake St. Louis, Missouri at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $136,500 a year. That covers the full $3,181 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Lake St. Louis, 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.