Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Merriam, Kansas
A $242,000 home here costs
$2,018per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,244. The real number is $774 higher every month — 62% 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.
Merriam against Johnson County and Kansas
| Measure | Merriam | Johnson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,400 | $366,000 |
| Median property tax | $2,725 | $4,221 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.124% | 1.153% |
| Median gross rent | $1,161 | $1,385 |
| Population | 11,036 | 614,764 |
The weather behind that power bill
Merriam sits in Johnson County, which averages a high of 87.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.2°F in its coldest, with 37.74" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,351 cooling and 4,926 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Johnson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Johnson County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Merriam?
A $242,000 home in Merriam, Kansas costs approximately $2,018 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,244 principal and interest, $227 property tax, $141 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $202 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Merriam?
Merriam has an effective property tax rate of 1.124%, based on a median home value of $242,400 and median real estate taxes of $2,725. That is lower than the Johnson County average of 1.153%.
What is the average home price in Merriam?
The median owner-occupied home value in Merriam, Kansas is $242,400, against $366,000 across Johnson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Merriam?
Median gross rent in Merriam is $1,161 a month, against $2,018 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 Merriam — 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.