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Buying a home in Clearwater, Minnesota

The typical owner-occupied home in Clearwater is worth about $271,800, 17% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 18% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,833 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 $91,346 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 77% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Clearwater at a glance

Clearwater Minnesota U.S.
Median home value $271,800 $329,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,833 $3,357 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.04% 1.02% 0.94%
Median household income $91,346 $89,062 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 62% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 77% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,835 $1,947 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.6% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,091 $1,280 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 24.1% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 2002 1979 1980
Vacant homes 0.0% 9.3% 10.1%
Population 1,970 5,739,445 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Clearwater

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Clearwater home of $271,800 with 20% down costs about $1,812 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,264, 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 $77,637 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Clearwater household income of $91,346; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $320,000.

The median rent here is $1,091 a month, so owning the median home costs about $721 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$54,360
Loan amount$217,440
Principal and interest$1,463
Property taxes (1.04% a year)$236
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$113
PMI$0
Total per month$1,812

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$9,513
Loan amount$266,877
Principal and interest$1,795
Property taxes (1.04% a year)$236
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$113
FHA mortgage insurance$120
Total per month$2,264

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Questions about home buying in Clearwater

What is the median home value in Clearwater?

About $271,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Clearwater?

Homeowners pay a median $2,833 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 Clearwater?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,812 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $77,637 a year.

More about Clearwater

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