Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Maries, Idaho
A $205,000 home here costs
$1,553per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,054. The real number is $499 higher every month — 47% 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. Maries against Benewah County and Idaho
| Measure | St. Maries | Benewah County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $205,400 | $255,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,318 | $1,407 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.642% | 0.550% |
| Median gross rent | $859 | $853 |
| Population | 3,032 | 9,913 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Maries sits in Benewah County, which averages a high of 84.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 24.2°F in its coldest, with 31.11" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 331 cooling and 6,553 heating degree days, which is what sets the $111 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Benewah County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Benewah County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Maries?
A $205,000 home in St. Maries, Idaho costs approximately $1,553 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,054 principal and interest, $110 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $179 utilities and $171 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Maries?
St. Maries has an effective property tax rate of 0.642%, based on a median home value of $205,400 and median real estate taxes of $1,318. That is higher than the Benewah County average of 0.550%.
What is the average home price in St. Maries?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Maries, Idaho is $205,400, against $255,800 across Benewah County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Maries?
Median gross rent in St. Maries is $859 a month, against $1,553 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. Maries — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Idaho.
- 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.