Cost to Own
United StatesWisconsinTaylor CountyMedford Population 4,331 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Medford, Wisconsin

A $175,000 home here costs

$1,578

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $900. The real number is $678 higher every month — 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Medford median: $175,300
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, $140,000 borrowed $900
Property tax1.658% effective rate for Medford itself $242
Homeowners insuranceWisconsin averages $780/yr (NAIC), or 0.309% of home value $45
Electricity19.74¢/kWh — Wisconsin residential average, EIA $177
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $146
Total monthly $1,578

Medford against Taylor County and Wisconsin

MeasureMedfordTaylor County
Median home value$175,300$186,500
Median property tax$2,906$2,647
Effective tax rate1.658%1.419%
Median gross rent$809$786
Population4,33119,972

The weather behind that power bill

Medford sits in Taylor County, which averages a high of 78.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 2.3°F in its coldest, with 34.2" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 334 cooling and 8,763 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Taylor County

No other places of this size are published in Taylor County.

Full Taylor County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin

Common questions

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

A $175,000 home in Medford, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,578 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $900 principal and interest, $242 property tax, $45 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $146 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Medford?

Medford has an effective property tax rate of 1.658%, based on a median home value of $175,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,906. That is higher than the Taylor County average of 1.419%.

What is the average home price in Medford?

The median owner-occupied home value in Medford, Wisconsin is $175,300, against $186,500 across Taylor County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Medford?

Median gross rent in Medford is $809 a month, against $1,578 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 Medford — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
  • 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