Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Van Meter, Iowa
A $250,000 home here costs
$2,081per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,285. The real number is $796 higher every month — 62% 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.
Van Meter against Dallas County and Iowa
| Measure | Van Meter | Dallas County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,300 | $333,400 |
| Median property tax | $3,409 | $4,849 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.362% | 1.454% |
| Median gross rent | $947 | $1,239 |
| Population | 1,469 | 104,136 |
The weather behind that power bill
Van Meter sits in Dallas County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.2°F in its coldest, with 36.12" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 895 cooling and 6,740 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dallas County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dallas County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Van Meter?
A $250,000 home in Van Meter, Iowa costs approximately $2,081 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,285 principal and interest, $284 property tax, $109 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $208 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Van Meter?
Van Meter has an effective property tax rate of 1.362%, based on a median home value of $250,300 and median real estate taxes of $3,409. That is lower than the Dallas County average of 1.454%.
What is the average home price in Van Meter?
The median owner-occupied home value in Van Meter, Iowa is $250,300, against $333,400 across Dallas County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Van Meter?
Median gross rent in Van Meter is $947 a month, against $2,081 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 Van Meter — 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.