Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
A $203,000 home here costs
$1,834per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,044. The real number is $791 higher every month — 76% 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.
Wisconsin Dells against Sauk County and Wisconsin
| Measure | Wisconsin Dells | Sauk County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,300 | $242,400 |
| Median property tax | $3,889 | $3,646 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.913% | 1.504% |
| Median gross rent | $886 | $970 |
| Population | 2,763 | 65,759 |
Wisconsin Dells extends across 4 counties. Figures here use Sauk County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Wisconsin Dells sits in Sauk County, which averages a high of 80.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 7.6°F in its coldest, with 34.46" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 489 cooling and 7,639 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Sauk County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Sauk County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Wisconsin Dells?
A $203,000 home in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,834 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,044 principal and interest, $324 property tax, $52 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $169 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Wisconsin Dells?
Wisconsin Dells has an effective property tax rate of 1.913%, based on a median home value of $203,300 and median real estate taxes of $3,889. That is higher than the Sauk County average of 1.504%.
What is the average home price in Wisconsin Dells?
The median owner-occupied home value in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin is $203,300, against $242,400 across Sauk County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Wisconsin Dells?
Median gross rent in Wisconsin Dells is $886 a month, against $1,834 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 Wisconsin Dells — 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.