Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Onawa, Iowa
A $126,000 home here costs
$1,151per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $648. The real number is $503 higher every month — 78% 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.
Onawa against Monona County and Iowa
| Measure | Onawa | Monona County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,700 | $122,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,778 | $1,412 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.414% | 1.152% |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 | $795 |
| Population | 2,862 | 8,619 |
The weather behind that power bill
Onawa sits in Monona County, which averages a high of 83.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.3°F in its coldest, with 32.11" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 804 cooling and 6,879 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Monona County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Monona County
No other places of this size are published in Monona County.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Onawa?
A $126,000 home in Onawa, Iowa costs approximately $1,151 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $648 principal and interest, $148 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $105 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Onawa?
Onawa has an effective property tax rate of 1.414%, based on a median home value of $125,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,778. That is higher than the Monona County average of 1.152%.
What is the average home price in Onawa?
The median owner-occupied home value in Onawa, Iowa is $125,700, against $122,600 across Monona County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Onawa?
Median gross rent in Onawa is $1,005 a month, against $1,151 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 Onawa — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Iowa.
- 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.