The typical owner-occupied home in Jay County is worth about $117,500, 46% below the Indiana median of $218,200 and 65% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $707 a year in property taxes, about 0.60% of their home's value, lower than the Indiana rate of 0.74%. The median household earns $54,969 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (3.0 times for Indiana). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Jay County at a glance
| Jay County | Indiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $117,500 | $218,200 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $707 | $1,614 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.60% | 0.74% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $54,969 | $71,957 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 80% | 71% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 60% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,047 | $1,404 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.5% | 18.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $770 | $1,062 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.6% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1959 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 12.3% | 8.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 20,229 | 6,851,073 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Jay County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Jay County home of $117,500 with 20% down costs about $740 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $936, 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 $31,716 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Jay County household income of $54,969; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $204,000.
The median rent here is $770 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $23,500 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $94,000 |
| Principal and interest | $632 |
| Property taxes (0.60% a year) | $59 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $49 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $740 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,112 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $115,372 |
| Principal and interest | $776 |
| Property taxes (0.60% a year) | $59 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $49 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $52 |
| Total per month | $936 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Jay County
What is the median home value in Jay County?
About $117,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Jay County?
Homeowners pay a median $707 a year, which is about 0.60% 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 Jay County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $740 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $31,716 a year.
More about Jay County
- Mortgage Refinance in Jay County
- Debt Relief in Jay County
- Home Equity Loans in Jay County
- 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