Cost to Own
United StatesIllinoisJefferson CountyMount Vernon Population 14,492 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Mount Vernon, Illinois

A $90,000 home here costs

$1,027

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $463. The real number is $565 higher every month — 122% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Mount Vernon median: $89,700
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, $72,000 borrowed $463
Property tax2.293% effective rate for Mount Vernon itself $172
Homeowners insuranceIllinois averages $1,223/yr (NAIC), or 0.47% of home value $35
Electricity23.85¢/kWh — Illinois residential average, EIA $214
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $75
Total monthly $1,027

Mount Vernon against Jefferson County and Illinois

MeasureMount VernonJefferson County
Median home value$89,700$118,400
Median property tax$2,057$2,026
Effective tax rate2.293%1.711%
Median gross rent$893$862
Population14,49236,808

The weather behind that power bill

Mount Vernon sits in Jefferson County, which averages a high of 85.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.7°F in its coldest, with 44.97" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,191 cooling and 4,998 heating degree days, which is what sets the $214 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Jefferson County

Full Jefferson County cost breakdown · Every county in Illinois

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Mount Vernon?

A $90,000 home in Mount Vernon, Illinois costs approximately $1,027 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $463 principal and interest, $172 property tax, $35 homeowners insurance, $282 utilities and $75 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Mount Vernon?

Mount Vernon has an effective property tax rate of 2.293%, based on a median home value of $89,700 and median real estate taxes of $2,057. That is higher than the Jefferson County average of 1.711%.

What is the average home price in Mount Vernon?

The median owner-occupied home value in Mount Vernon, Illinois is $89,700, against $118,400 across Jefferson County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Mount Vernon?

Median gross rent in Mount Vernon is $893 a month, against $1,027 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 Mount Vernon — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Illinois.
  • 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