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Buying a home in Saint Joseph, Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Saint Joseph is worth about $299,000, 29% above the Michigan median of $231,600 and 10% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,582 a year in property taxes, about 1.53% of their home's value, higher than the Michigan rate of 1.25%. The median household earns $84,057 a year, so the median home costs 3.6 times the median income (3.2 times for Michigan). 58% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 64% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Saint Joseph at a glance

Saint Joseph Michigan U.S.
Median home value $299,000 $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,582 $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.53% 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $84,057 $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 58% 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 64% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,676 $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 19.5% 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $1,081 $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 23.9% 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1953 1972 1980
Vacant homes 14.7% 11.8% 10.1%
Population 7,986 10,077,761 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Saint Joseph

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Saint Joseph home of $299,000 with 20% down costs about $2,115 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,613, 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 $90,639 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Saint Joseph household income of $84,057; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $277,000.

The median rent here is $1,081 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,034 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$59,800
Loan amount$239,200
Principal and interest$1,609
Property taxes (1.53% a year)$381
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$125
PMI$0
Total per month$2,115

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,465
Loan amount$293,584
Principal and interest$1,975
Property taxes (1.53% a year)$381
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$125
FHA mortgage insurance$132
Total per month$2,613

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Questions about home buying in Saint Joseph

What is the median home value in Saint Joseph?

About $299,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Saint Joseph?

Homeowners pay a median $4,582 a year, which is about 1.53% 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 Saint Joseph?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,115 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $90,639 a year.

More about Saint Joseph

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