Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Louis, Michigan
A $116,000 home here costs
$1,137per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $596. The real number is $540 higher every month — 91% 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. Louis against Gratiot County and Michigan
| Measure | St. Louis | Gratiot County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,700 | $136,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,610 | $1,739 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.392% | 1.271% |
| Median gross rent | $865 | $808 |
| Population | 6,926 | 41,478 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Louis sits in Gratiot County, which averages a high of 82.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.0°F in its coldest, with 34.5" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 544 cooling and 7,051 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Gratiot County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Gratiot County
Full Gratiot County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Louis?
A $116,000 home in St. Louis, Michigan costs approximately $1,137 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $596 principal and interest, $135 property tax, $43 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $97 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Louis?
St. Louis has an effective property tax rate of 1.392%, based on a median home value of $115,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,610. That is higher than the Gratiot County average of 1.271%.
What is the average home price in St. Louis?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Louis, Michigan is $115,700, against $136,800 across Gratiot County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Louis?
Median gross rent in St. Louis is $865 a month, against $1,137 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. Louis — 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.