The typical owner-occupied home in Lester is worth about $220,800, 5% above the Alabama median of $209,900 and 34% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $493 a year in property taxes, about 0.22% of their home's value, lower than the Alabama rate of 0.38%. The median household earns $80,833 a year, so the median home costs 2.7 times the median income (3.3 times for Alabama). 86% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Lester at a glance
| Lester | Alabama | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $220,800 | $209,900 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $493 | $788 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.22% | 0.38% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $80,833 | $63,999 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 86% | 70% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 56% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,167 | $1,433 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.0% | 19.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $1,007 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1979 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.1% | 14.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 181 | 5,086,768 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Lester
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lester home of $220,800 with 20% down costs about $1,321 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,689, 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 $56,604 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Lester household income of $80,833; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $315,000.
| Down payment | $44,160 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $176,640 |
| Principal and interest | $1,188 |
| Property taxes (0.22% a year) | $40 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $92 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,321 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,728 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $216,801 |
| Principal and interest | $1,458 |
| Property taxes (0.22% a year) | $40 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $92 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $98 |
| Total per month | $1,689 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Lester
What is the median home value in Lester?
About $220,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Lester?
Homeowners pay a median $493 a year, which is about 0.22% 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 Lester?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,321 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $56,604 a year.
More about Lester
- Mortgage Refinance in Lester
- Debt Relief in Lester
- Home Equity Loans in Lester
- 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