Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. James, Missouri
A $117,000 home here costs
$1,047per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $601. The real number is $445 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. James against Phelps County and Missouri
| Measure | St. James | Phelps County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $117,200 | $194,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,151 | $1,248 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.982% | 0.640% |
| Median gross rent | $814 | $801 |
| Population | 3,922 | 44,948 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. James sits in Phelps County, which averages a high of 88.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.4°F in its coldest, with 47.38" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,487 cooling and 4,612 heating degree days, which is what sets the $123 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Phelps County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Phelps County
Full Phelps County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. James?
A $117,000 home in St. James, Missouri costs approximately $1,047 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $601 principal and interest, $96 property tax, $61 homeowners insurance, $191 utilities and $98 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. James?
St. James has an effective property tax rate of 0.982%, based on a median home value of $117,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,151. That is higher than the Phelps County average of 0.640%.
What is the average home price in St. James?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. James, Missouri is $117,200, against $194,900 across Phelps County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. James?
Median gross rent in St. James is $814 a month, against $1,047 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 Missouri.
- 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.