Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Star, Idaho
A $499,000 home here costs
$3,469per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,565. The real number is $904 higher every month — 35% 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.
Star against Ada County and Idaho
| Measure | Star | Ada County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $498,900 | $476,000 |
| Median property tax | $2,543 | $2,643 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.510% | 0.555% |
| Median gross rent | $1,622 | $1,465 |
| Population | 13,231 | 508,052 |
Star extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Ada County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Star sits in Ada County, which averages a high of 92.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 25.4°F in its coldest, with 11.51" of precipitation a year and 36% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,045 cooling and 5,321 heating degree days, which is what sets the $111 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ada County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ada County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Star?
A $499,000 home in Star, Idaho costs approximately $3,469 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,565 principal and interest, $212 property tax, $97 homeowners insurance, $179 utilities and $416 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Star?
Star has an effective property tax rate of 0.510%, based on a median home value of $498,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,543. That is lower than the Ada County average of 0.555%.
What is the average home price in Star?
The median owner-occupied home value in Star, Idaho is $498,900, against $476,000 across Ada County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Star?
Median gross rent in Star is $1,622 a month, against $3,469 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 Star — 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.