Cost to Own
United StatesMissouriClay CountyLiberty Population 30,446 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Liberty, Missouri

A $268,000 home here costs

$2,188

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,378. The real number is $810 higher every month — 59% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Liberty median: $267,900
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $214,400 borrowed $1,378
Property tax1.146% effective rate for Liberty itself $256
Homeowners insuranceMissouri averages $1,340/yr (NAIC), or 0.625% of home value $140
Electricity13.68¢/kWh — Missouri residential average, EIA $123
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $223
Total monthly $2,188

Liberty against Clay County and Missouri

MeasureLibertyClay County
Median home value$267,900$256,400
Median property tax$3,069$2,817
Effective tax rate1.146%1.099%
Median gross rent$1,164$1,220
Population30,446255,566

The weather behind that power bill

Liberty sits in Clay County, which averages a high of 88.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.2°F in its coldest, with 41.21" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,266 cooling and 5,342 heating degree days, which is what sets the $123 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Clay County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Clay County

Full Clay County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Liberty?

A $268,000 home in Liberty, Missouri costs approximately $2,188 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,378 principal and interest, $256 property tax, $140 homeowners insurance, $191 utilities and $223 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Liberty?

Liberty has an effective property tax rate of 1.146%, based on a median home value of $267,900 and median real estate taxes of $3,069. That is higher than the Clay County average of 1.099%.

What is the average home price in Liberty?

The median owner-occupied home value in Liberty, Missouri is $267,900, against $256,400 across Clay County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Liberty?

Median gross rent in Liberty is $1,164 a month, against $2,188 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 Liberty — 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.

Full methodology