The typical owner-occupied home in Porter County is worth about $281,500, 29% above the Indiana median of $218,200 and 15% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,326 a year in property taxes, about 0.83% of their home's value, higher than the Indiana rate of 0.74%. The median household earns $87,972 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (3.0 times for Indiana). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 67% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Porter County at a glance
| Porter County | Indiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,500 | $218,200 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,326 | $1,614 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.83% | 0.74% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $87,972 | $71,957 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 78% | 71% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 67% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,653 | $1,404 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.8% | 18.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,219 | $1,062 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.2% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1982 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 5.5% | 8.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 174,818 | 6,851,073 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Porter County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Porter County home of $281,500 with 20% down costs about $1,827 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,296, 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 $78,297 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Porter County household income of $87,972; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $316,000.
The median rent here is $1,219 a month, so owning the median home costs about $608 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $56,300 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $225,200 |
| Principal and interest | $1,515 |
| Property taxes (0.83% a year) | $195 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $117 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,827 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $9,852 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $276,401 |
| Principal and interest | $1,859 |
| Property taxes (0.83% a year) | $195 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $117 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $125 |
| Total per month | $2,296 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Porter County
What is the median home value in Porter County?
About $281,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Porter County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,326 a year, which is about 0.83% 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 Porter County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,827 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $78,297 a year.
More about Porter County
- Mortgage Refinance in Porter County
- Debt Relief in Porter County
- Home Equity Loans in Porter 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