The typical owner-occupied home in Mason County is worth about $161,500, 21% below the Kentucky median of $205,600 and 51% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,055 a year in property taxes, about 0.65% of their home's value, lower than the Kentucky rate of 0.75%. The median household earns $52,178 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (3.2 times for Kentucky). 66% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 50% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Mason County at a glance
| Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,500 | $205,600 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,055 | $1,544 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.65% | 0.75% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,178 | $63,726 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 66% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 50% | 56% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,245 | $1,433 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.6% | 18.8% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $727 | $967 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 26.2% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1977 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 12.9% | 10.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 16,956 | 4,534,824 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Mason County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Mason County home of $161,500 with 20% down costs about $1,024 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,293, 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 $43,882 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Mason County household income of $52,178; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $192,000.
The median rent here is $727 a month, so owning the median home costs about $297 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $32,300 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $129,200 |
| Principal and interest | $869 |
| Property taxes (0.65% a year) | $87 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $67 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,024 |
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| Down payment | $5,652 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $158,575 |
| Principal and interest | $1,067 |
| Property taxes (0.65% a year) | $87 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $67 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $71 |
| Total per month | $1,293 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Mason County
What is the median home value in Mason County?
About $161,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Mason County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,055 a year, which is about 0.65% 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 Mason County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,024 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $43,882 a year.
More about Mason County
- Mortgage Refinance in Mason County
- Debt Relief in Mason County
- Home Equity Loans in Mason 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