Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Woodward, Iowa
A $180,000 home here costs
$1,578per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $925. The real number is $652 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.
Woodward against Dallas County and Iowa
| Measure | Woodward | Dallas County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $179,500 | $333,400 |
| Median property tax | $2,739 | $4,849 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.526% | 1.454% |
| Median gross rent | $484 | $1,239 |
| Population | 1,002 | 104,136 |
Woodward extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Dallas County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Woodward sits in Dallas County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.2°F in its coldest, with 36.12" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 895 cooling and 6,740 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dallas County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dallas County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Woodward?
A $180,000 home in Woodward, Iowa costs approximately $1,578 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $925 principal and interest, $229 property tax, $78 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $150 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Woodward?
Woodward has an effective property tax rate of 1.526%, based on a median home value of $179,500 and median real estate taxes of $2,739. That is higher than the Dallas County average of 1.454%.
What is the average home price in Woodward?
The median owner-occupied home value in Woodward, Iowa is $179,500, against $333,400 across Dallas County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Woodward?
Median gross rent in Woodward is $484 a month, against $1,578 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 Woodward — 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.