Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Leon, Iowa
A $80,000 home here costs
$839per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $411. The real number is $427 higher every month — 104% 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.
Leon against Decatur County and Iowa
| Measure | Leon | Decatur County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $79,600 | $109,500 |
| Median property tax | $1,562 | $1,856 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.962% | 1.695% |
| Median gross rent | $542 | $663 |
| Population | 1,795 | 7,669 |
The weather behind that power bill
Leon sits in Decatur County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.6°F in its coldest, with 37.38" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,038 cooling and 5,895 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Decatur County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Decatur County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Leon?
A $80,000 home in Leon, Iowa costs approximately $839 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $411 principal and interest, $131 property tax, $35 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $67 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Leon?
Leon has an effective property tax rate of 1.962%, based on a median home value of $79,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,562. That is higher than the Decatur County average of 1.695%.
What is the average home price in Leon?
The median owner-occupied home value in Leon, Iowa is $79,600, against $109,500 across Decatur County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Leon?
Median gross rent in Leon is $542 a month, against $839 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 Leon — 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.