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Buying a home in Berea, Kentucky

The typical owner-occupied home in Berea is worth about $199,900, 3% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 40% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,447 a year in property taxes, about 0.72% of their home's value, close to the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $59,495 a year, so the median home costs 3.4 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 59% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 62% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Berea at a glance

Berea Kentucky U.S.
Median home value $199,900 $205,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,447 $1,544 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.72% 0.75% 0.94%
Median household income $59,495 $63,726 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 59% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 62% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,281 $1,433 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.4% 18.8% 21.0%
Median rent $835 $967 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.7% 28.1% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1990 1982 1980
Vacant homes 10.4% 10.3% 10.1%
Population 15,786 4,534,824 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Berea

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Berea home of $199,900 with 20% down costs about $1,279 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,612, 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 $54,815 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 26% of the median Berea household income of $59,495; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $217,000.

The median rent here is $835 a month, so owning the median home costs about $444 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$39,980
Loan amount$159,920
Principal and interest$1,076
Property taxes (0.72% a year)$120
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
PMI$0
Total per month$1,279

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,996
Loan amount$196,279
Principal and interest$1,320
Property taxes (0.72% a year)$120
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
FHA mortgage insurance$88
Total per month$1,612

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Questions about home buying in Berea

What is the median home value in Berea?

About $199,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Berea?

Homeowners pay a median $1,447 a year, which is about 0.72% 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 Berea?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,279 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $54,815 a year.

More about Berea

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