Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Osage, Iowa
A $142,000 home here costs
$1,262per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $730. The real number is $532 higher every month — 73% 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.
Osage against Mitchell County and Iowa
| Measure | Osage | Mitchell County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,800 | $164,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,879 | $1,897 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.325% | 1.156% |
| Median gross rent | $735 | $739 |
| Population | 3,578 | 10,548 |
The weather behind that power bill
Osage sits in Mitchell County, which averages a high of 81.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 6.2°F in its coldest, with 37.61" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 593 cooling and 7,746 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Mitchell County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Mitchell County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Osage?
A $142,000 home in Osage, Iowa costs approximately $1,262 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $730 principal and interest, $157 property tax, $62 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $118 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Osage?
Osage has an effective property tax rate of 1.325%, based on a median home value of $141,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,879. That is higher than the Mitchell County average of 1.156%.
What is the average home price in Osage?
The median owner-occupied home value in Osage, Iowa is $141,800, against $164,100 across Mitchell County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Osage?
Median gross rent in Osage is $735 a month, against $1,262 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 Osage — 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.