Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Vandalia, Missouri
A $76,000 home here costs
$808per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $34,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $414. The real number is $393 higher every month, 95% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Audrain County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Vandalia from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 3,260 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Audrain County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Vandalia against Audrain County and Missouri
| Measure | Vandalia | Audrain County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $75,600 | $121,600 |
| Median property tax | $742 | $1,064 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.981% | 0.875% |
| Median gross rent | $762 | $698 |
| Population | 3,260 | 24,688 |
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 $160 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
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Vandalia averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Vandalia every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Vandalia I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Vandalia?
A $76,000 home in Vandalia, Missouri costs approximately $808 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $414 principal and interest, $62 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $228 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 $808 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Vandalia?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Vandalia, Missouri at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $34,500 a year. That covers the full $808 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
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.