Home / Home Buying by state / Kentucky / Letcher County / Whitesburg

Buying a home in Whitesburg, Kentucky

The typical owner-occupied home in Whitesburg is worth about $111,700, 46% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 66% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $782 a year in property taxes, about 0.70% of their home's value, lower than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $29,189 a year, so the median home costs 3.8 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 53% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 34% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Whitesburg at a glance

Whitesburg Kentucky U.S.
Median home value $111,700 $205,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $782 $1,544 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.70% 0.75% 0.94%
Median household income $29,189 $63,726 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 53% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 34% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,281 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.3% 18.8% 21.0%
Median rent $640 $967 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 45.2% 28.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1965 1982 1980
Vacant homes 14.3% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 1,761 4,534,824 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Whitesburg

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Whitesburg home of $111,700 with 20% down costs about $713 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $899, 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 $30,550 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Whitesburg household income of $29,189; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $107,000.

The median rent here is $640 a month, so owning the median home costs about $73 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$22,340
Loan amount$89,360
Principal and interest$601
Property taxes (0.70% a year)$65
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$47
PMI$0
Total per month$713

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,910
Loan amount$109,677
Principal and interest$738
Property taxes (0.70% a year)$65
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$47
FHA mortgage insurance$49
Total per month$899

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Whitesburg

What is the median home value in Whitesburg?

About $111,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Whitesburg?

Homeowners pay a median $782 a year, which is about 0.70% 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 Whitesburg?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $713 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $30,550 a year.

More about Whitesburg

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