The typical owner-occupied home in Backus is worth about $134,700, 59% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 60% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,275 a year in property taxes, about 0.95% of their home's value, lower than the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $56,250 a year, so the median home costs 2.4 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 76% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Backus at a glance
| Backus | Minnesota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,700 | $329,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,275 | $3,357 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.95% | 1.02% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $56,250 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 71% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 76% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,344 | $1,947 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.5% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $720 | $1,280 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 16.3% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1972 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 32.1% | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 291 | 5,739,445 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Backus
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Backus home of $134,700 with 20% down costs about $888 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,112, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $38,043 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Backus household income of $56,250; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $199,000.
The median rent here is $720 a month, so owning the median home costs about $168 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $26,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $107,760 |
| Principal and interest | $725 |
| Property taxes (0.95% a year) | $107 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $56 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $888 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,714 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $132,260 |
| Principal and interest | $890 |
| Property taxes (0.95% a year) | $107 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $56 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $60 |
| Total per month | $1,112 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Backus
What is the median home value in Backus?
About $134,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Backus?
Homeowners pay a median $1,275 a year, which is about 0.95% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Backus?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $888 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $38,043 a year.
More about Backus
- Mortgage Refinance in Backus
- Debt Relief in Backus
- Home Equity Loans in Backus
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data