Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Stuart, Iowa
A $152,000 home here costs
$1,355per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $781. The real number is $574 higher every month — 73% 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.
Stuart against Guthrie County and Iowa
| Measure | Stuart | Guthrie County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,300 | $163,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,232 | $2,172 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.466% | 1.325% |
| Median gross rent | $768 | $823 |
| Population | 1,642 | 10,646 |
Stuart extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Guthrie County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Stuart sits in Guthrie County, which averages a high of 85.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 9.6°F in its coldest, with 37.14" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 843 cooling and 6,850 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Guthrie County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Guthrie County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Stuart?
A $152,000 home in Stuart, Iowa costs approximately $1,355 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $781 principal and interest, $186 property tax, $66 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $127 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Stuart?
Stuart has an effective property tax rate of 1.466%, based on a median home value of $152,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,232. That is higher than the Guthrie County average of 1.325%.
What is the average home price in Stuart?
The median owner-occupied home value in Stuart, Iowa is $152,300, against $163,900 across Guthrie County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Stuart?
Median gross rent in Stuart is $768 a month, against $1,355 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 Stuart — 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.