Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lamar, Missouri
A $115,000 home here costs
$1,093per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $47,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $627. The real number is $466 higher every month, 74% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Barton County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Lamar from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 4,290 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Barton County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Lamar against Barton County and Missouri
| Measure | Lamar | Barton County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,800 | $136,000 |
| Median property tax | $980 | $1,010 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.854% | 0.743% |
| Median gross rent | $830 | $777 |
| Population | 4,290 | 11,685 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lamar sits in Barton County, which averages a high of 89.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 23.2°F in its coldest, with 45.8" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,381 cooling and 4,376 heating degree days, which is what sets the $160 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Barton County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Barton County
No other places of this size are published in Barton County.
Full Barton County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Lamar 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 Lamar every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lamar?
A $115,000 home in Lamar, Missouri costs approximately $1,093 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $627 principal and interest, $82 property tax, $60 homeowners insurance, $228 utilities and $96 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lamar?
Lamar has an effective property tax rate of 0.854%, based on a median home value of $114,800 and median real estate taxes of $980. That is higher than the Barton County average of 0.743%.
What is the average home price in Lamar?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lamar, Missouri is $114,800, against $136,000 across Barton County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lamar?
Median gross rent in Lamar is $830 a month, against $1,093 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 Lamar?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Lamar, Missouri at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $47,000 a year. That covers the full $1,093 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Lamar, 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.