Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Perry, Iowa
A $122,000 home here costs
$1,166per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $627. The real number is $539 higher every month — 86% 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.
Perry against Dallas County and Iowa
| Measure | Perry | Dallas County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,100 | $333,400 |
| Median property tax | $2,273 | $4,849 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.862% | 1.454% |
| Median gross rent | $877 | $1,239 |
| Population | 7,928 | 104,136 |
The weather behind that power bill
Perry sits in Dallas County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.2°F in its coldest, with 36.12" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 895 cooling and 6,740 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dallas County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dallas County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Perry?
A $122,000 home in Perry, Iowa costs approximately $1,166 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $627 principal and interest, $189 property tax, $53 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $102 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Perry?
Perry has an effective property tax rate of 1.862%, based on a median home value of $122,100 and median real estate taxes of $2,273. That is higher than the Dallas County average of 1.454%.
What is the average home price in Perry?
The median owner-occupied home value in Perry, Iowa is $122,100, against $333,400 across Dallas County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Perry?
Median gross rent in Perry is $877 a month, against $1,166 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 Perry — 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.