Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Steele, Alabama
A $102,000 home here costs
$987per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $42,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $556. The real number is $431 higher every month, 78% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare St. Clair County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Steele from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,293 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The St. Clair County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Steele against St. Clair County and Alabama
| Measure | Steele | St. Clair County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $101,700 | $218,500 |
| Median property tax | $260 | $666 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.256% | 0.305% |
| Median gross rent | $744 | $1,077 |
| Population | 1,293 | 92,903 |
The weather behind that power bill
Steele sits in St. Clair County, which averages a high of 90.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.9°F in its coldest, with 52.23" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,840 cooling and 2,808 heating degree days, which is what sets the $187 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for St. Clair County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in St. Clair County
Full St. Clair County cost breakdown · Every county in Alabama
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Steele averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Steele every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Steele I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Steele?
A $102,000 home in Steele, Alabama costs approximately $987 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $556 principal and interest, $22 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $255 utilities and $85 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Steele?
Steele has an effective property tax rate of 0.256%, based on a median home value of $101,700 and median real estate taxes of $260. That is lower than the St. Clair County average of 0.305%.
What is the average home price in Steele?
The median owner-occupied home value in Steele, Alabama is $101,700, against $218,500 across St. Clair County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Steele?
Median gross rent in Steele is $744 a month, against $987 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Steele?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Steele, Alabama at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $42,500 a year. That covers the full $987 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Steele, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Alabama.
- 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.