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Buying a home in Sylvania, Alabama

The typical owner-occupied home in Sylvania is worth about $161,500, 23% below the Alabama median of $209,900 and 51% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $423 a year in property taxes, about 0.26% of their home's value, lower than the Alabama rate of 0.38%. The median household earns $56,161 a year, so the median home costs 2.9 times the median income (3.3 times for Alabama). 67% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Sylvania at a glance

Sylvania Alabama U.S.
Median home value $161,500 $209,900 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $423 $788 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.26% 0.38% 0.94%
Median household income $56,161 $63,999 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 67% 70% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 48% 54% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,177 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 15.6% 19.0% 21.0%
Median rent $692 $1,007 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.5% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1985 1986 1980
Vacant homes 11.6% 14.5% 10.1%
Population 1,925 5,086,768 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Sylvania

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Sylvania home of $161,500 with 20% down costs about $971 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,240, 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 $41,632 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Sylvania household income of $56,161; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $218,000.

The median rent here is $692 a month, so owning the median home costs about $279 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$32,300
Loan amount$129,200
Principal and interest$869
Property taxes (0.26% a year)$35
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$67
PMI$0
Total per month$971

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,652
Loan amount$158,575
Principal and interest$1,067
Property taxes (0.26% a year)$35
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$67
FHA mortgage insurance$71
Total per month$1,240

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Questions about home buying in Sylvania

What is the median home value in Sylvania?

About $161,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Sylvania?

Homeowners pay a median $423 a year, which is about 0.26% 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 Sylvania?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $971 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $41,632 a year.

More about Sylvania

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