Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Seneca, Kansas
A $217,000 home here costs
$1,824per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,116. The real number is $709 higher every month — 64% 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.
Seneca against Nemaha County and Kansas
| Measure | Seneca | Nemaha County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,000 | $196,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,365 | $1,917 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.090% | 0.978% |
| Median gross rent | $607 | $726 |
| Population | 2,139 | 10,213 |
The weather behind that power bill
Seneca sits in Nemaha County, which averages a high of 89.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.1°F in its coldest, with 35.91" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,304 cooling and 5,375 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Nemaha County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Nemaha County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Seneca?
A $217,000 home in Seneca, Kansas costs approximately $1,824 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,116 principal and interest, $197 property tax, $127 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $181 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Seneca?
Seneca has an effective property tax rate of 1.090%, based on a median home value of $217,000 and median real estate taxes of $2,365. That is higher than the Nemaha County average of 0.978%.
What is the average home price in Seneca?
The median owner-occupied home value in Seneca, Kansas is $217,000, against $196,100 across Nemaha County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Seneca?
Median gross rent in Seneca is $607 a month, against $1,824 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 Seneca — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- 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.