Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. James, Minnesota
A $110,000 home here costs
$1,060per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $566. The real number is $495 higher every month — 87% 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. James against Watonwan County and Minnesota
| Measure | St. James | Watonwan County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,600 | $151,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,613 | $1,557 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.472% | 1.027% |
| Median gross rent | $805 | $807 |
| Population | 4,740 | 11,169 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. James sits in Watonwan County, which averages a high of 82.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 5.2°F in its coldest, with 33.12" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 686 cooling and 7,788 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Watonwan County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Watonwan County
Full Watonwan County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. James?
A $110,000 home in St. James, Minnesota costs approximately $1,060 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $566 principal and interest, $135 property tax, $48 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $92 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. James?
St. James has an effective property tax rate of 1.472%, based on a median home value of $109,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,613. That is higher than the Watonwan County average of 1.027%.
What is the average home price in St. James?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. James, Minnesota is $109,600, against $151,600 across Watonwan County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. James?
Median gross rent in St. James is $805 a month, against $1,060 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. James — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Minnesota.
- 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.