Cost to Own
United StatesMissouriAudrain CountyVandalia Population 3,260 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Vandalia, Missouri

A $76,000 home here costs

$747

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $391. The real number is $356 higher every month — 91% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Vandalia median: $75,600
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, $60,800 borrowed $391
Property tax0.981% effective rate for Vandalia itself $62
Homeowners insuranceMissouri averages $1,340/yr (NAIC), or 0.625% of home value $40
Electricity13.68¢/kWh — Missouri residential average, EIA $123
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $63
Total monthly $747

Vandalia against Audrain County and Missouri

MeasureVandaliaAudrain County
Median home value$75,600$121,600
Median property tax$742$1,064
Effective tax rate0.981%0.875%
Median gross rent$762$698
Population3,26024,688

Vandalia extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Audrain County, where most of its housing sits.

The weather behind that power bill

Vandalia sits in Audrain County, which averages a high of 87.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.3°F in its coldest, with 43.52" of precipitation a year and 34% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,275 cooling and 5,168 heating degree days, which is what sets the $123 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Audrain County

Full Audrain County cost breakdown · Every county in Missouri

Common questions

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

A $76,000 home in Vandalia, Missouri costs approximately $747 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $391 principal and interest, $62 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $191 utilities and $63 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Vandalia?

Vandalia has an effective property tax rate of 0.981%, based on a median home value of $75,600 and median real estate taxes of $742. That is higher than the Audrain County average of 0.875%.

What is the average home price in Vandalia?

The median owner-occupied home value in Vandalia, Missouri is $75,600, against $121,600 across Audrain County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Vandalia?

Median gross rent in Vandalia is $762 a month, against $747 to own the median home all in. Owning costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Vandalia — 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.

Full methodology