Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Three Rivers, Michigan
A $120,000 home here costs
$1,174per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $617. The real number is $557 higher every month — 90% 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.
Three Rivers against St. Joseph County and Michigan
| Measure | Three Rivers | St. Joseph County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,200 | $167,600 |
| Median property tax | $1,758 | $1,867 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.463% | 1.114% |
| Median gross rent | $815 | $825 |
| Population | 7,936 | 60,870 |
The weather behind that power bill
Three Rivers sits in St. Joseph County, which averages a high of 82.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.7°F in its coldest, with 39.66" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 615 cooling and 6,602 heating degree days, which is what sets the $198 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for St. Joseph County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in St. Joseph County
Full St. Joseph County cost breakdown · Every county in Michigan
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Three Rivers?
A $120,000 home in Three Rivers, Michigan costs approximately $1,174 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $617 principal and interest, $146 property tax, $45 homeowners insurance, $266 utilities and $100 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Three Rivers?
Three Rivers has an effective property tax rate of 1.463%, based on a median home value of $120,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,758. That is higher than the St. Joseph County average of 1.114%.
What is the average home price in Three Rivers?
The median owner-occupied home value in Three Rivers, Michigan is $120,200, against $167,600 across St. Joseph County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Three Rivers?
Median gross rent in Three Rivers is $815 a month, against $1,174 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 Three Rivers — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Michigan.
- 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.