Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Storm Lake, Iowa
A $164,000 home here costs
$1,440per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $843. The real number is $597 higher every month — 71% 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.
Storm Lake against Buena Vista County and Iowa
| Measure | Storm Lake | Buena Vista County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,600 | $146,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,318 | $1,822 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.417% | 1.240% |
| Median gross rent | $830 | $835 |
| Population | 11,275 | 20,684 |
The weather behind that power bill
Storm Lake sits in Buena Vista County, which averages a high of 82.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.8°F in its coldest, with 33.75" of precipitation a year and 42% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 754 cooling and 7,230 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Buena Vista County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Buena Vista County
Full Buena Vista County cost breakdown · Every county in Iowa
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Storm Lake?
A $164,000 home in Storm Lake, Iowa costs approximately $1,440 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $843 principal and interest, $194 property tax, $71 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $137 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Storm Lake?
Storm Lake has an effective property tax rate of 1.417%, based on a median home value of $163,600 and median real estate taxes of $2,318. That is higher than the Buena Vista County average of 1.240%.
What is the average home price in Storm Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Storm Lake, Iowa is $163,600, against $146,900 across Buena Vista County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Storm Lake?
Median gross rent in Storm Lake is $830 a month, against $1,440 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 Storm Lake — 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.