Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Rocky Ford, Colorado
A $126,000 home here costs
$1,039per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $648. The real number is $391 higher every month — 60% 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.
Rocky Ford against Otero County and Colorado
| Measure | Rocky Ford | Otero County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,100 | $160,700 |
| Median property tax | $437 | $518 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.347% | 0.322% |
| Median gross rent | $756 | $796 |
| Population | 3,843 | 18,460 |
The weather behind that power bill
Rocky Ford sits in Otero County, which averages a high of 94.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 12.6°F in its coldest, with 13.37" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,042 cooling and 5,698 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Otero County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Otero County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Rocky Ford?
A $126,000 home in Rocky Ford, Colorado costs approximately $1,039 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $648 principal and interest, $36 property tax, $37 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $105 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Rocky Ford?
Rocky Ford has an effective property tax rate of 0.347%, based on a median home value of $126,100 and median real estate taxes of $437. That is higher than the Otero County average of 0.322%.
What is the average home price in Rocky Ford?
The median owner-occupied home value in Rocky Ford, Colorado is $126,100, against $160,700 across Otero County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rocky Ford?
Median gross rent in Rocky Ford is $756 a month, against $1,039 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 Rocky Ford — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Colorado.
- 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.