Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in West Salem, Wisconsin
A $269,000 home here costs
$2,225per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,383. The real number is $842 higher every month — 61% 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.
West Salem against La Crosse County and Wisconsin
| Measure | West Salem | La Crosse County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $269,300 | $243,200 |
| Median property tax | $3,641 | $3,963 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.352% | 1.630% |
| Median gross rent | $1,142 | $1,023 |
| Population | 5,268 | 120,262 |
The weather behind that power bill
West Salem sits in La Crosse County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.5°F in its coldest, with 35.23" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 942 cooling and 6,788 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for La Crosse County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in La Crosse County
Full La Crosse County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in West Salem?
A $269,000 home in West Salem, Wisconsin costs approximately $2,225 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,383 principal and interest, $303 property tax, $69 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $224 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in West Salem?
West Salem has an effective property tax rate of 1.352%, based on a median home value of $269,300 and median real estate taxes of $3,641. That is lower than the La Crosse County average of 1.630%.
What is the average home price in West Salem?
The median owner-occupied home value in West Salem, Wisconsin is $269,300, against $243,200 across La Crosse County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West Salem?
Median gross rent in West Salem is $1,142 a month, against $2,225 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 West Salem — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
- 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.