The typical owner-occupied home in Clear Lake is worth about $281,300, 15% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 15% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,935 a year in property taxes, about 1.04% of their home's value, close to the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $105,625 a year, so the median home costs 2.7 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 84% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 88% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Clear Lake at a glance
| Clear Lake | Minnesota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,300 | $329,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,935 | $3,357 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.04% | 1.02% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $105,625 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 84% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 88% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,728 | $1,947 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.1% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $919 | $1,280 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 14.3% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1996 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 0.0% | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 579 | 5,739,445 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Clear Lake
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Clear Lake home of $281,300 with 20% down costs about $1,875 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,343, 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 $80,351 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Clear Lake household income of $105,625; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $370,000.
The median rent here is $919 a month, so owning the median home costs about $956 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $56,260 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $225,040 |
| Principal and interest | $1,514 |
| Property taxes (1.04% a year) | $244 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $117 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,875 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,846 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $276,205 |
| Principal and interest | $1,858 |
| Property taxes (1.04% a year) | $244 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $117 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $124 |
| Total per month | $2,343 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Clear Lake
What is the median home value in Clear Lake?
About $281,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Clear Lake?
Homeowners pay a median $2,935 a year, which is about 1.04% 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 Clear Lake?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,875 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $80,351 a year.
More about Clear Lake
- Mortgage Refinance in Clear Lake
- Debt Relief in Clear Lake
- Home Equity Loans in Clear Lake
- 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