The typical owner-occupied home in Harlan County is worth about $73,700, 64% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 78% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $732 a year in property taxes, about 0.99% of their home's value, higher than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $41,693 a year, so the median home costs 1.8 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 32% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Harlan County at a glance
| Harlan County | Kentucky | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $73,700 | $205,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $732 | $1,544 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.99% | 0.75% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $41,693 | $63,726 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 72% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 32% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $979 | $1,433 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.2% | 18.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $678 | $967 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.4% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1976 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 17.7% | 10.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 25,772 | 4,534,824 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Harlan County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Harlan County home of $73,700 with 20% down costs about $488 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $611, 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 $20,920 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 14% of the median Harlan County household income of $41,693; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $147,000.
The median rent here is $678 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $14,740 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $58,960 |
| Principal and interest | $397 |
| Property taxes (0.99% a year) | $61 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $31 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $488 |
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| Down payment | $2,580 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $72,365 |
| Principal and interest | $487 |
| Property taxes (0.99% a year) | $61 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $31 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $33 |
| Total per month | $611 |
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Questions about home buying in Harlan County
What is the median home value in Harlan County?
About $73,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Harlan County?
Homeowners pay a median $732 a year, which is about 0.99% 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 Harlan County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $488 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $20,920 a year.
More about Harlan County
- Mortgage Refinance in Harlan County
- Debt Relief in Harlan County
- Home Equity Loans in Harlan 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