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Buying a home in Jackson, Kentucky

The typical owner-occupied home in Jackson is worth about $77,500, 62% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 77% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,161 a year in property taxes, about 1.50% of their home's value, higher than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $32,683 a year, so the median home costs 2.4 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 56% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 28% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Jackson at a glance

Jackson Kentucky U.S.
Median home value $77,500 $205,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,161 $1,544 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.50% 0.75% 0.94%
Median household income $32,683 $63,726 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 56% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 28% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,094 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.0% 18.8% 21.0%
Median rent $495 $967 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.0% 28.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1979 1982 1980
Vacant homes 18.9% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 2,015 4,534,824 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Jackson

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Jackson home of $77,500 with 20% down costs about $546 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $675, 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 $23,411 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Jackson household income of $32,683; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $108,000.

The median rent here is $495 a month, so owning the median home costs about $51 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$15,500
Loan amount$62,000
Principal and interest$417
Property taxes (1.50% a year)$97
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$32
PMI$0
Total per month$546

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$2,712
Loan amount$76,096
Principal and interest$512
Property taxes (1.50% a year)$97
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$32
FHA mortgage insurance$34
Total per month$675

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Questions about home buying in Jackson

What is the median home value in Jackson?

About $77,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Jackson?

Homeowners pay a median $1,161 a year, which is about 1.50% 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 Jackson?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $546 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $23,411 a year.

More about Jackson

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