The typical owner-occupied home in Panama is worth about $54,700, 79% below the Illinois median of $263,300 and 84% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $862 a year in property taxes, about 1.58% of their home's value, lower than the Illinois rate of 2.01%. The median household earns $72,917 a year, so the median home costs 0.8 times the median income (3.2 times for Illinois). 92% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 40% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Panama at a glance
| Panama | Illinois | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $54,700 | $263,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $862 | $5,298 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.58% | 2.01% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $72,917 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 92% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 40% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $816 | $1,987 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 13.3% | 20.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $970 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 21.8% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1943 | 1971 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 8.0% | 7.7% | 10.1% |
| Population | 420 | 12,694,798 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Panama
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Panama home of $54,700 with 20% down costs about $389 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $480, 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 $16,680 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 6% of the median Panama household income of $72,917; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $239,000.
The median rent here is $970 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $10,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $43,760 |
| Principal and interest | $294 |
| Property taxes (1.58% a year) | $72 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $23 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $389 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $1,914 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $53,709 |
| Principal and interest | $361 |
| Property taxes (1.58% a year) | $72 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $23 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $24 |
| Total per month | $480 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Panama
What is the median home value in Panama?
About $54,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Panama?
Homeowners pay a median $862 a year, which is about 1.58% 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 Panama?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $389 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $16,680 a year.
More about Panama
- Mortgage Refinance in Panama
- Debt Relief in Panama
- Home Equity Loans in Panama
- 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