Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Helen, Michigan
A $85,000 home here costs
$891per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $437. The real number is $454 higher every month — 104% 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. Helen against Roscommon County and Michigan
| Measure | St. Helen | Roscommon County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,300 | $148,000 |
| Median property tax | $1,025 | $1,552 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.202% | 1.049% |
| Median gross rent | $728 | $789 |
| Population | 2,841 | 23,639 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Helen sits in Roscommon County, which averages a high of 80.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 11.0°F in its coldest, with 29.59" of precipitation a year and 32% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 337 cooling and 7,898 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Roscommon County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Roscommon County
Full Roscommon County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Helen?
A $85,000 home in St. Helen, Michigan costs approximately $891 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $437 principal and interest, $85 property tax, $32 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $71 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Helen?
St. Helen has an effective property tax rate of 1.202%, based on a median home value of $85,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,025. That is higher than the Roscommon County average of 1.049%.
What is the average home price in St. Helen?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Helen, Michigan is $85,300, against $148,000 across Roscommon County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Helen?
Median gross rent in St. Helen is $728 a month, against $891 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. Helen — 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.