Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in State Center, Iowa
A $156,000 home here costs
$1,344per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $802. The real number is $542 higher every month — 68% 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.
State Center against Marshall County and Iowa
| Measure | State Center | Marshall County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $156,300 | $134,100 |
| Median property tax | $1,791 | $2,030 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.146% | 1.514% |
| Median gross rent | $741 | $860 |
| Population | 1,548 | 39,971 |
The weather behind that power bill
State Center sits in Marshall County, which averages a high of 83.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.1°F in its coldest, with 32.76" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 727 cooling and 6,996 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Marshall County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Marshall County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in State Center?
A $156,000 home in State Center, Iowa costs approximately $1,344 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $802 principal and interest, $149 property tax, $68 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $130 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in State Center?
State Center has an effective property tax rate of 1.146%, based on a median home value of $156,300 and median real estate taxes of $1,791. That is lower than the Marshall County average of 1.514%.
What is the average home price in State Center?
The median owner-occupied home value in State Center, Iowa is $156,300, against $134,100 across Marshall County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in State Center?
Median gross rent in State Center is $741 a month, against $1,344 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 State Center — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Iowa.
- 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.