Home / Home Buying by state / Minnesota / Lake County / Ely

Buying a home in Ely, Minnesota

The typical owner-occupied home in Ely is worth about $157,300, 52% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 53% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,331 a year in property taxes, about 0.85% of their home's value, lower than the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $43,901 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 45% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Ely at a glance

Ely Minnesota U.S.
Median home value $157,300 $329,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,331 $3,357 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.85% 1.02% 0.94%
Median household income $43,901 $89,062 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 63% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 45% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,306 $1,947 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.0% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $627 $1,280 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.7% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1942 1979 1980
Vacant homes 9.9% 9.3% 10.1%
Population 3,240 5,739,445 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Ely

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Ely home of $157,300 with 20% down costs about $1,023 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,286, 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 $43,864 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Ely household income of $43,901; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $157,000.

The median rent here is $627 a month, so owning the median home costs about $396 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$31,460
Loan amount$125,840
Principal and interest$847
Property taxes (0.85% a year)$111
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
PMI$0
Total per month$1,023

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,506
Loan amount$154,451
Principal and interest$1,039
Property taxes (0.85% a year)$111
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$66
FHA mortgage insurance$70
Total per month$1,286

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Ely

What is the median home value in Ely?

About $157,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Ely?

Homeowners pay a median $1,331 a year, which is about 0.85% 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 Ely?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,023 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $43,864 a year.

More about Ely

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