Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Medicine Lodge, Kansas
A $80,000 home here costs
$863per 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 $37,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $436. The real number is $427 higher every month, 98% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Barber County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Medicine Lodge from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,518 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 Barber 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.
Medicine Lodge against Barber County and Kansas
| Measure | Medicine Lodge | Barber County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,200 | $92,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,328 | $1,542 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.656% | 1.663% |
| Median gross rent | $711 | $743 |
| Population | 1,518 | 4,153 |
The weather behind that power bill
Medicine Lodge sits in Barber County, which averages a high of 94.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.0°F in its coldest, with 27.75" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,820 cooling and 4,389 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Barber County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Barber County
No other places of this size are published in Barber County.
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Medicine Lodge 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 Medicine Lodge every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Medicine Lodge I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Medicine Lodge?
A $80,000 home in Medicine Lodge, Kansas costs approximately $863 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $436 principal and interest, $110 property tax, $47 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $67 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Medicine Lodge?
Medicine Lodge has an effective property tax rate of 1.656%, based on a median home value of $80,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,328. That is in line with the Barber County average of 1.663%.
What is the average home price in Medicine Lodge?
The median owner-occupied home value in Medicine Lodge, Kansas is $80,200, against $92,700 across Barber County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Medicine Lodge?
Median gross rent in Medicine Lodge is $711 a month, against $863 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 Medicine Lodge?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Medicine Lodge, Kansas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $37,000 a year. That covers the full $863 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Medicine Lodge, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- 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.