Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Kent County, Michigan
A $266,000 home here costs
$2,241per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,368. The real number is $873 higher every month — 64% 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 Kent County compares
Kent County ranks 898th of 3,133 US counties by effective property tax rate, meaning property taxes here are lower than in 2,235 counties and higher than in 897. Within Michigan it ranks 41st of 83.
The numbers behind this page
| Measure | Kent County | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $265,700 | ACS B25077 |
| Median real estate taxes paid | $3,028 | ACS B25103 |
| Effective property tax rate | 1.140% | Derived |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | ACS B25064 |
| Occupied housing units | 254,860 | ACS B25003 |
| Population | 658,844 | ACS B01003 |
| Residential electricity price | 22.01¢/kWh | EIA 5.6.A |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate | 6.66% | Freddie Mac PMMS |
Other counties in Michigan
Compare the cost of the same home elsewhere in the state.
Questions about owning here
What is the property tax rate in Kent County?
The effective property tax rate in Kent County, Michigan is 1.140% of home value per year. On the county's median home value of $265,700, that works out to about $3,028 annually, or $252 per month.
How much does it cost to own a home in Kent County?
A $266,000 home in Kent County, Michigan costs approximately $2,241 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That breaks down as $1,368 principal and interest, $253 property tax, $133 insurance, $266 utilities and $222 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 $488 a month, which is why the real cost is 64% above the mortgage payment alone.
Is it cheaper to rent in Kent County?
Median gross rent in Kent County, Michigan is $1,176 per month, compared with $2,241 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 Kent County?
Michigan residential electricity averages 22.01¢ per kWh. At the US average household usage of 899 kWh per month, that is about $198. 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.