Cost to Own
United StatesKansasEllsworth County FIPS 20053 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Ellsworth County, Kansas

A $116,000 home here costs

$1,102

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $596. The real number is $505 higher every month — 85% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

County median: $116,300
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $92,800 borrowed $596
Property tax1.518% effective rate — Ellsworth County assessor via Census ACS $147
Homeowners insuranceEstimated at 0.60% of home value per year $58
Electricity15.13¢/kWh — Kansas residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year — the cost nobody budgets $97
Total monthly $1,102

How Ellsworth County compares

Ellsworth County ranks 380th of 3,133 US counties by effective property tax rate, meaning property taxes here are lower than in 2,753 counties and higher than in 379. Within Kansas it ranks 60th of 105.

Ellsworth County 1.518% 81% higher than national
Kansas average 1.549%
National median0.837%
Highest in America — Menominee County, WI3.636%

The numbers behind this page

MeasureEllsworth CountySource
Median home value$116,300ACS B25077
Median real estate taxes paid$1,766ACS B25103
Effective property tax rate1.518%Derived
Median gross rent$705ACS B25064
Occupied housing units2,329ACS B25003
Population6,366ACS B01003
Residential electricity price15.13¢/kWhEIA 5.6.A
30-year fixed mortgage rate6.66%Freddie Mac PMMS

Other counties in Kansas

Compare the cost of the same home elsewhere in the state.

All 105 counties in Kansas

Questions about owning here

What is the property tax rate in Ellsworth County?

The effective property tax rate in Ellsworth County, Kansas is 1.518% of home value per year. On the county's median home value of $116,300, that works out to about $1,766 annually, or $147 per month.

How much does it cost to own a home in Ellsworth County?

A $116,000 home in Ellsworth County, Kansas costs approximately $1,102 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That breaks down as $596 principal and interest, $147 property tax, $58 insurance, $204 utilities and $97 set aside for maintenance.

Why is this higher than the payment my lender quoted?

Lender quotes usually show principal and interest only, and sometimes property tax and insurance. They almost never include electricity, water or a maintenance reserve. Here those add about $301 a month, which is why the real cost is 85% above the mortgage payment alone.

Is it cheaper to rent in Ellsworth County?

Median gross rent in Ellsworth County, Kansas is $705 per month, compared with $1,102 to own the median home outright. Renting is cheaper month to month, though rent does not build equity and is not fixed for 30 years.

How much is the electric bill in Ellsworth County?

Kansas residential electricity averages 15.13¢ per kWh. At the US average household usage of 899 kWh per month, that is about $136. Actual bills vary considerably with house size, insulation and climate.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes paid, gross rent, occupied units and population — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, tables B25077, B25103, B25064, B25003, B01003.
  • Effective property tax rate — median real estate taxes paid divided by median home value.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, updated weekly.
  • Residential electricity price — US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A.
  • Homeowners insurance (0.60%/yr), maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are modelled national estimates, not quoted figures. Every one is editable above.

Full methodology