Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Taos, Missouri
A $256,000 home here costs
$1,995per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,316. The real number is $679 higher every month — 52% 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.
Taos against Cole County and Missouri
| Measure | Taos | Cole County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $256,000 | $214,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,695 | $1,728 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.662% | 0.806% |
| Median gross rent | $425 | $804 |
| Population | 1,334 | 76,924 |
The weather behind that power bill
Taos sits in Cole County, which averages a high of 88.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.5°F in its coldest, with 39.71" of precipitation a year and 33% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,456 cooling and 4,589 heating degree days, which is what sets the $123 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cole County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cole County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Taos?
A $256,000 home in Taos, Missouri costs approximately $1,995 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,316 principal and interest, $141 property tax, $133 homeowners insurance, $191 utilities and $213 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Taos?
Taos has an effective property tax rate of 0.662%, based on a median home value of $256,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,695. That is lower than the Cole County average of 0.806%.
What is the average home price in Taos?
The median owner-occupied home value in Taos, Missouri is $256,000, against $214,400 across Cole County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Taos?
Median gross rent in Taos is $425 a month, against $1,995 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 Taos — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Missouri.
- 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.