Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Rochester, Indiana
A $136,000 home here costs
$1,185per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $699. The real number is $486 higher every month — 69% 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.
Rochester against Fulton County and Indiana
| Measure | Rochester | Fulton County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,900 | $144,700 |
| Median property tax | $998 | $744 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.734% | 0.514% |
| Median gross rent | $883 | $861 |
| Population | 6,244 | 20,411 |
The weather behind that power bill
Rochester sits in Fulton County, which averages a high of 83.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.3°F in its coldest, with 40.75" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 814 cooling and 6,168 heating degree days, which is what sets the $163 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Fulton County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Fulton County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Rochester?
A $136,000 home in Rochester, Indiana costs approximately $1,185 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $699 principal and interest, $83 property tax, $58 homeowners insurance, $231 utilities and $113 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Rochester?
Rochester has an effective property tax rate of 0.734%, based on a median home value of $135,900 and median real estate taxes of $998. That is higher than the Fulton County average of 0.514%.
What is the average home price in Rochester?
The median owner-occupied home value in Rochester, Indiana is $135,900, against $144,700 across Fulton County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rochester?
Median gross rent in Rochester is $883 a month, against $1,185 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 Rochester — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Indiana.
- 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.