Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Johnsbury, Vermont
A $172,000 home here costs
$1,679per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $884. The real number is $795 higher every month — 90% 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. Johnsbury against Caledonia County and Vermont
| Measure | St. Johnsbury | Caledonia County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,900 | $215,900 |
| Median property tax | $3,733 | $3,951 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.172% | 1.830% |
| Median gross rent | $887 | $904 |
| Population | 5,945 | 30,425 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Johnsbury sits in Caledonia County, which averages a high of 79.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.8°F in its coldest, with 39.34" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 330 cooling and 7,982 heating degree days, which is what sets the $224 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Caledonia County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Caledonia County
Full Caledonia County cost breakdown · Every county in Vermont
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Johnsbury?
A $172,000 home in St. Johnsbury, Vermont costs approximately $1,679 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $884 principal and interest, $311 property tax, $49 homeowners insurance, $292 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Johnsbury?
St. Johnsbury has an effective property tax rate of 2.172%, based on a median home value of $171,900 and median real estate taxes of $3,733. That is higher than the Caledonia County average of 1.830%.
What is the average home price in St. Johnsbury?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Johnsbury, Vermont is $171,900, against $215,900 across Caledonia County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Johnsbury?
Median gross rent in St. Johnsbury is $887 a month, against $1,679 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. Johnsbury — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Vermont.
- 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.