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Buying a home in Crystal, Michigan

The typical owner-occupied home in Crystal is worth about $197,300, 15% below the Michigan median of $231,600 and 41% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,739 a year in property taxes, about 0.88% of their home's value, lower than the Michigan rate of 1.25%. The median household earns $41,806 a year, so the median home costs 4.7 times the median income (3.2 times for Michigan). 90% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 37% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Crystal at a glance

Crystal Michigan U.S.
Median home value $197,300 $231,600 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,739 $2,904 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.88% 1.25% 0.94%
Median household income $41,806 $72,875 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 90% 73% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 37% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,516 $1,569 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.4% 19.3% 21.0%
Median rent $597 $1,129 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 36.5% 30.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1967 1972 1980
Vacant homes 35.2% 11.8% 10.1%
Population 1,114 10,077,761 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Crystal

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Crystal home of $197,300 with 20% down costs about $1,289 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,617, 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 $55,230 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Crystal household income of $41,806; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $149,000.

The median rent here is $597 a month, so owning the median home costs about $692 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$39,460
Loan amount$157,840
Principal and interest$1,062
Property taxes (0.88% a year)$145
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$82
PMI$0
Total per month$1,289

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,906
Loan amount$193,726
Principal and interest$1,303
Property taxes (0.88% a year)$145
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$82
FHA mortgage insurance$87
Total per month$1,617

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Questions about home buying in Crystal

What is the median home value in Crystal?

About $197,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Crystal?

Homeowners pay a median $1,739 a year, which is about 0.88% 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 Crystal?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,289 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $55,230 a year.

More about Crystal

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