Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Pella, Iowa
A $260,000 home here costs
$2,148per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,337. The real number is $811 higher every month — 61% 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.
Pella against Marion County and Iowa
| Measure | Pella | Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $259,600 | $211,100 |
| Median property tax | $3,432 | $2,727 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.322% | 1.292% |
| Median gross rent | $1,041 | $880 |
| Population | 10,624 | 33,551 |
Pella extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Marion County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Pella sits in Marion County, which averages a high of 84.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.5°F in its coldest, with 37.45" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 950 cooling and 6,416 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Marion County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Marion County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Pella?
A $260,000 home in Pella, Iowa costs approximately $2,148 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,337 principal and interest, $286 property tax, $113 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $217 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Pella?
Pella has an effective property tax rate of 1.322%, based on a median home value of $259,600 and median real estate taxes of $3,432. That is higher than the Marion County average of 1.292%.
What is the average home price in Pella?
The median owner-occupied home value in Pella, Iowa is $259,600, against $211,100 across Marion County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Pella?
Median gross rent in Pella is $1,041 a month, against $2,148 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 Pella — 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.