Cost to Own
United StatesWisconsinKenosha CountySalem Lakes Population 14,521 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Salem Lakes, Wisconsin

A $282,000 home here costs

$2,388

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,450. The real number is $939 higher every month — 65% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Salem Lakes median: $281,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $225,600 borrowed $1,450
Property tax1.641% effective rate for Salem Lakes itself $386
Homeowners insuranceWisconsin averages $780/yr (NAIC), or 0.309% of home value $73
Electricity19.74¢/kWh — Wisconsin residential average, EIA $177
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $235
Total monthly $2,388

Salem Lakes against Kenosha County and Wisconsin

MeasureSalem LakesKenosha County
Median home value$281,500$247,800
Median property tax$4,619$4,180
Effective tax rate1.641%1.687%
Median gross rent$1,132$1,175
Population14,521168,413

The weather behind that power bill

Salem Lakes sits in Kenosha County, which averages a high of 83.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.4°F in its coldest, with 31.88" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 721 cooling and 6,447 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Kenosha County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Kenosha County

Full Kenosha County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Salem Lakes?

A $282,000 home in Salem Lakes, Wisconsin costs approximately $2,388 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,450 principal and interest, $386 property tax, $73 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $235 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Salem Lakes?

Salem Lakes has an effective property tax rate of 1.641%, based on a median home value of $281,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,619. That is lower than the Kenosha County average of 1.687%.

What is the average home price in Salem Lakes?

The median owner-occupied home value in Salem Lakes, Wisconsin is $281,500, against $247,800 across Kenosha County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salem Lakes?

Median gross rent in Salem Lakes is $1,132 a month, against $2,388 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 Salem Lakes — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
  • 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.

Full methodology