Cost to Own
United StatesOhioGeauga County FIPS 39055 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Geauga County, Ohio

A $305,000 home here costs

$2,596

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,568. The real number is $1,028 higher every month — 66% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

County median: $305,100
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, $244,000 borrowed $1,568
Property tax1.486% effective rate — Geauga County assessor via Census ACS $378
Homeowners insuranceEstimated at 0.60% of home value per year $153
Electricity19.52¢/kWh — Ohio residential average, EIA $175
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year — the cost nobody budgets $254
Total monthly $2,596

How Geauga County compares

Geauga County ranks 421st of 3,133 US counties by effective property tax rate, meaning property taxes here are lower than in 2,712 counties and higher than in 420. Within Ohio it ranks 10th of 88.

Geauga County 1.486% 78% higher than national
Ohio average 1.148%
National median0.837%
Highest in America — Menominee County, WI3.636%

The numbers behind this page

MeasureGeauga CountySource
Median home value$305,100ACS B25077
Median real estate taxes paid$4,533ACS B25103
Effective property tax rate1.486%Derived
Median gross rent$1,018ACS B25064
Occupied housing units35,587ACS B25003
Population95,479ACS B01003
Residential electricity price19.52¢/kWhEIA 5.6.A
30-year fixed mortgage rate6.66%Freddie Mac PMMS

Other counties in Ohio

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

All 88 counties in Ohio

Questions about owning here

What is the property tax rate in Geauga County?

The effective property tax rate in Geauga County, Ohio is 1.486% of home value per year. On the county's median home value of $305,100, that works out to about $4,533 annually, or $378 per month.

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

A $305,000 home in Geauga County, Ohio costs approximately $2,596 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That breaks down as $1,568 principal and interest, $378 property tax, $153 insurance, $243 utilities and $254 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 $498 a month, which is why the real cost is 66% above the mortgage payment alone.

Is it cheaper to rent in Geauga County?

Median gross rent in Geauga County, Ohio is $1,018 per month, compared with $2,596 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 Geauga County?

Ohio residential electricity averages 19.52¢ per kWh. At the US average household usage of 899 kWh per month, that is about $175. 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