Cost to Own
United StatesWisconsinMarathon CountyStratford Population 1,439 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Stratford, Wisconsin

A $190,000 home here costs

$1,689

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $977. The real number is $713 higher every month — 73% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Stratford median: $189,700
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $152,000 borrowed $977
Property tax1.642% effective rate for Stratford itself $260
Homeowners insuranceWisconsin averages $780/yr (NAIC), or 0.309% of home value $49
Electricity19.74¢/kWh — Wisconsin residential average, EIA $177
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $158
Total monthly $1,689

Stratford against Marathon County and Wisconsin

MeasureStratfordMarathon County
Median home value$189,700$205,500
Median property tax$3,115$3,108
Effective tax rate1.642%1.512%
Median gross rent$877$950
Population1,439138,067

The weather behind that power bill

Stratford sits in Marathon County, which averages a high of 80.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 6.7°F in its coldest, with 33.91" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 422 cooling and 8,174 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Marathon County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Marathon County

Full Marathon County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Stratford?

A $190,000 home in Stratford, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,689 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $977 principal and interest, $260 property tax, $49 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $158 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Stratford?

Stratford has an effective property tax rate of 1.642%, based on a median home value of $189,700 and median real estate taxes of $3,115. That is higher than the Marathon County average of 1.512%.

What is the average home price in Stratford?

The median owner-occupied home value in Stratford, Wisconsin is $189,700, against $205,500 across Marathon County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Stratford?

Median gross rent in Stratford is $877 a month, against $1,689 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 Stratford — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
  • 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.

Full methodology