The typical owner-occupied home in Starke County is worth about $157,700, 28% below the Indiana median of $218,200 and 53% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $967 a year in property taxes, about 0.61% of their home's value, lower than the Indiana rate of 0.74%. The median household earns $63,960 a year, so the median home costs 2.5 times the median income (3.0 times for Indiana). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Starke County at a glance
| Starke County | Indiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $157,700 | $218,200 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $967 | $1,614 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.61% | 0.74% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $63,960 | $71,957 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 83% | 71% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 60% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,152 | $1,404 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.6% | 18.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $712 | $1,062 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.0% | 29.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1974 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 20.3% | 8.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 23,365 | 6,851,073 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Starke County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Starke County home of $157,700 with 20% down costs about $995 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,257, 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 $42,624 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Starke County household income of $63,960; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $237,000.
The median rent here is $712 a month, so owning the median home costs about $283 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $31,540 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $126,160 |
| Principal and interest | $849 |
| Property taxes (0.61% a year) | $80 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $66 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $995 |
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| Down payment | $5,520 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $154,844 |
| Principal and interest | $1,042 |
| Property taxes (0.61% a year) | $80 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $66 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $70 |
| Total per month | $1,257 |
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Questions about home buying in Starke County
What is the median home value in Starke County?
About $157,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Starke County?
Homeowners pay a median $967 a year, which is about 0.61% 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 Starke County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $995 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $42,624 a year.
More about Starke County
- Mortgage Refinance in Starke County
- Debt Relief in Starke County
- Home Equity Loans in Starke 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