Cost to Own
United StatesMinnesotaCarlton CountyMoose Lake Population 3,297 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Moose Lake, Minnesota

A $205,000 home here costs

$1,732

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,054. The real number is $678 higher every month — 64% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Moose Lake median: $205,000
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, $164,000 borrowed $1,054
Property tax1.158% effective rate for Moose Lake itself $198
Homeowners insuranceMinnesota averages $1,607/yr (NAIC), or 0.521% of home value $89
Electricity16.95¢/kWh — Minnesota residential average, EIA $152
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $171
Total monthly $1,732

Moose Lake against Carlton County and Minnesota

MeasureMoose LakeCarlton County
Median home value$205,000$232,000
Median property tax$2,374$2,712
Effective tax rate1.158%1.169%
Median gross rent$901$967
Population3,29736,457

The weather behind that power bill

Moose Lake sits in Carlton County, which averages a high of 78.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 1.7°F in its coldest, with 32.67" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 212 cooling and 9,396 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Carlton County

Full Carlton County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Moose Lake?

A $205,000 home in Moose Lake, Minnesota costs approximately $1,732 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,054 principal and interest, $198 property tax, $89 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $171 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Moose Lake?

Moose Lake has an effective property tax rate of 1.158%, based on a median home value of $205,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,374. That is lower than the Carlton County average of 1.169%.

What is the average home price in Moose Lake?

The median owner-occupied home value in Moose Lake, Minnesota is $205,000, against $232,000 across Carlton County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Moose Lake?

Median gross rent in Moose Lake is $901 a month, against $1,732 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 Moose Lake — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Minnesota.
  • 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