Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Wathena, Kansas
A $155,000 home here costs
$1,408per 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 $60,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $845. The real number is $563 higher every month, 67% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Doniphan County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Wathena from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,463 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 Doniphan 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.
Wathena against Doniphan County and Kansas
| Measure | Wathena | Doniphan County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,800 | $121,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,672 | $1,406 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.080% | 1.160% |
| Median gross rent | $794 | $801 |
| Population | 1,463 | 7,492 |
The weather behind that power bill
Wathena sits in Doniphan County, which averages a high of 86.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.0°F in its coldest, with 36.84" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,200 cooling and 5,493 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Doniphan County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Doniphan County
Full Doniphan County cost breakdown · Every county in Kansas
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Wathena 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 Wathena every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Wathena I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Wathena?
A $155,000 home in Wathena, Kansas costs approximately $1,408 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $845 principal and interest, $140 property tax, $90 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $129 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Wathena?
Wathena has an effective property tax rate of 1.080%, based on a median home value of $154,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,672. That is lower than the Doniphan County average of 1.160%.
What is the average home price in Wathena?
The median owner-occupied home value in Wathena, Kansas is $154,800, against $121,200 across Doniphan County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wathena?
Median gross rent in Wathena is $794 a month, against $1,408 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 Wathena?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Wathena, Kansas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $60,500 a year. That covers the full $1,408 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Wathena, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Kansas.
- 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.