Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Oskaloosa, Iowa
A $129,000 home here costs
$1,192per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $663. The real number is $529 higher every month — 80% 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.
Oskaloosa against Mahaska County and Iowa
| Measure | Oskaloosa | Mahaska County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,900 | $140,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,043 | $1,956 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.585% | 1.388% |
| Median gross rent | $880 | $821 |
| Population | 11,492 | 22,045 |
The weather behind that power bill
Oskaloosa sits in Mahaska County, which averages a high of 85.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.2°F in its coldest, with 38.72" of precipitation a year and 38% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 958 cooling and 6,366 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Mahaska County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Mahaska County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Oskaloosa?
A $129,000 home in Oskaloosa, Iowa costs approximately $1,192 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $663 principal and interest, $170 property tax, $56 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $108 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Oskaloosa?
Oskaloosa has an effective property tax rate of 1.585%, based on a median home value of $128,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,043. That is higher than the Mahaska County average of 1.388%.
What is the average home price in Oskaloosa?
The median owner-occupied home value in Oskaloosa, Iowa is $128,900, against $140,900 across Mahaska County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Oskaloosa?
Median gross rent in Oskaloosa is $880 a month, against $1,192 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 Oskaloosa — 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.