Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Clair Shores, Michigan
A $196,000 home here costs
$1,753per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,008. The real number is $745 higher every month — 74% 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.
St. Clair Shores against Macomb County and Michigan
| Measure | St. Clair Shores | Macomb County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,400 | $231,400 |
| Median property tax | $2,921 | $3,293 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.487% | 1.423% |
| Median gross rent | $1,143 | $1,175 |
| Population | 58,287 | 877,624 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Clair Shores sits in Macomb County, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.9°F in its coldest, with 34.96" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 633 cooling and 6,550 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Macomb County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Macomb County
Full Macomb County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Clair Shores?
A $196,000 home in St. Clair Shores, Michigan costs approximately $1,753 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,008 principal and interest, $243 property tax, $73 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $163 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Clair Shores?
St. Clair Shores has an effective property tax rate of 1.487%, based on a median home value of $196,400 and median real estate taxes of $2,921. That is higher than the Macomb County average of 1.423%.
What is the average home price in St. Clair Shores?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Clair Shores, Michigan is $196,400, against $231,400 across Macomb County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Clair Shores?
Median gross rent in St. Clair Shores is $1,143 a month, against $1,753 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 St. Clair Shores — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Michigan.
- 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.