Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Guthrie County, Iowa
A $164,000 home here costs
$1,438per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $843. The real number is $595 higher every month — 71% 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.
How Guthrie County compares
Guthrie County ranks 622nd of 3,133 US counties by effective property tax rate, meaning property taxes here are lower than in 2,511 counties and higher than in 621. Within Iowa it ranks 53rd of 99.
The numbers behind this page
| Measure | Guthrie County | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,900 | ACS B25077 |
| Median real estate taxes paid | $2,172 | ACS B25103 |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.325% | Derived |
| Median gross rent | $823 | ACS B25064 |
| Occupied housing units | 4,587 | ACS B25003 |
| Population | 10,646 | ACS B01003 |
| Residential electricity price | 14.14¢/kWh | EIA 5.6.A |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate | 6.66% | Freddie Mac PMMS |
Other counties in Iowa
Compare the cost of the same home elsewhere in the state.
Questions about owning here
What is the property tax rate in Guthrie County?
The effective property tax rate in Guthrie County, Iowa is 1.325% of home value per year. On the county's median home value of $163,900, that works out to about $2,172 annually, or $181 per month.
How much does it cost to own a home in Guthrie County?
A $164,000 home in Guthrie County, Iowa costs approximately $1,438 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That breaks down as $843 principal and interest, $181 property tax, $82 insurance, $195 utilities and $137 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 $332 a month, which is why the real cost is 71% above the mortgage payment alone.
Is it cheaper to rent in Guthrie County?
Median gross rent in Guthrie County, Iowa is $823 per month, compared with $1,438 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 Guthrie County?
Iowa residential electricity averages 14.14¢ per kWh. At the US average household usage of 899 kWh per month, that is about $127. 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.