Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota
A $318,000 home here costs
$2,544per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,635. The real number is $909 higher every month — 56% 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.
White Bear Lake against Ramsey County and Minnesota
| Measure | White Bear Lake | Ramsey County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $318,000 | $304,900 |
| Median property tax | $3,425 | $3,767 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.077% | 1.235% |
| Median gross rent | $1,540 | $1,298 |
| Population | 24,026 | 544,438 |
White Bear Lake extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Ramsey County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
White Bear Lake sits in Ramsey County, which averages a high of 82.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.3°F in its coldest, with 33.11" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 790 cooling and 7,327 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ramsey County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ramsey County
Full Ramsey County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in White Bear Lake?
A $318,000 home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota costs approximately $2,544 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,635 principal and interest, $285 property tax, $138 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $265 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in White Bear Lake?
White Bear Lake has an effective property tax rate of 1.077%, based on a median home value of $318,000 and median real estate taxes of $3,425. That is lower than the Ramsey County average of 1.235%.
What is the average home price in White Bear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home value in White Bear Lake, Minnesota is $318,000, against $304,900 across Ramsey County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in White Bear Lake?
Median gross rent in White Bear Lake is $1,540 a month, against $2,544 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 White Bear Lake — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Minnesota.
- 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.