Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Winthrop, Iowa
A $149,000 home here costs
$1,300per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $766. The real number is $534 higher every month — 70% 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.
Winthrop against Buchanan County and Iowa
| Measure | Winthrop | Buchanan County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $149,200 | $171,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,800 | $2,286 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.206% | 1.334% |
| Median gross rent | $1,000 | $802 |
| Population | 1,081 | 20,645 |
The weather behind that power bill
Winthrop sits in Buchanan County, which averages a high of 83.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.0°F in its coldest, with 37.37" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 723 cooling and 7,252 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Buchanan County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Buchanan County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Winthrop?
A $149,000 home in Winthrop, Iowa costs approximately $1,300 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $766 principal and interest, $150 property tax, $65 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $124 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Winthrop?
Winthrop has an effective property tax rate of 1.206%, based on a median home value of $149,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,800. That is lower than the Buchanan County average of 1.334%.
What is the average home price in Winthrop?
The median owner-occupied home value in Winthrop, Iowa is $149,200, against $171,400 across Buchanan County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Winthrop?
Median gross rent in Winthrop is $1,000 a month, against $1,300 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 Winthrop — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Iowa.
- 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.