Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Westwood, Kansas
A $385,000 home here costs
$3,068per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,979. The real number is $1,089 higher every month — 55% 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.
Westwood against Johnson County and Kansas
| Measure | Westwood | Johnson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $384,500 | $366,000 |
| Median property tax | $4,072 | $4,221 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.059% | 1.153% |
| Median gross rent | $1,900 | $1,385 |
| Population | 1,851 | 614,764 |
The weather behind that power bill
Westwood sits in Johnson County, which averages a high of 87.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.2°F in its coldest, with 37.74" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,351 cooling and 4,926 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Johnson County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Johnson County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Westwood?
A $385,000 home in Westwood, Kansas costs approximately $3,068 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,979 principal and interest, $340 property tax, $225 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $321 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Westwood?
Westwood has an effective property tax rate of 1.059%, based on a median home value of $384,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,072. That is lower than the Johnson County average of 1.153%.
What is the average home price in Westwood?
The median owner-occupied home value in Westwood, Kansas is $384,500, against $366,000 across Johnson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Westwood?
Median gross rent in Westwood is $1,900 a month, against $3,068 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 Westwood — 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.