Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Manson, Iowa
A $119,000 home here costs
$1,109per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $612. The real number is $498 higher every month — 81% 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.
Manson against Calhoun County and Iowa
| Measure | Manson | Calhoun County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,800 | $114,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,817 | $1,506 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.529% | 1.316% |
| Median gross rent | $656 | $690 |
| Population | 1,653 | 9,858 |
The weather behind that power bill
Manson sits in Calhoun County, which averages a high of 82.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.4°F in its coldest, with 33.75" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 733 cooling and 7,187 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Calhoun County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Calhoun County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Manson?
A $119,000 home in Manson, Iowa costs approximately $1,109 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $612 principal and interest, $152 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $99 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Manson?
Manson has an effective property tax rate of 1.529%, based on a median home value of $118,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,817. That is higher than the Calhoun County average of 1.316%.
What is the average home price in Manson?
The median owner-occupied home value in Manson, Iowa is $118,800, against $114,400 across Calhoun County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Manson?
Median gross rent in Manson is $656 a month, against $1,109 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 Manson — 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.