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Buying a home in Perham, Minnesota

The typical owner-occupied home in Perham is worth about $199,000, 40% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 40% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,325 a year in property taxes, about 1.17% of their home's value, higher than the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $49,716 a year, so the median home costs 4.0 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 53% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Perham at a glance

Perham Minnesota U.S.
Median home value $199,000 $329,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,325 $3,357 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.17% 1.02% 0.94%
Median household income $49,716 $89,062 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 53% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 54% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,429 $1,947 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 23.0% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $855 $1,280 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.7% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1979 1979 1980
Vacant homes 9.9% 9.3% 10.1%
Population 3,627 5,739,445 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Perham

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Perham home of $199,000 with 20% down costs about $1,348 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,679, 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 $57,767 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Perham household income of $49,716; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $171,000.

The median rent here is $855 a month, so owning the median home costs about $493 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$39,800
Loan amount$159,200
Principal and interest$1,071
Property taxes (1.17% a year)$194
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
PMI$0
Total per month$1,348

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,965
Loan amount$195,396
Principal and interest$1,314
Property taxes (1.17% a year)$194
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
FHA mortgage insurance$88
Total per month$1,679

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Questions about home buying in Perham

What is the median home value in Perham?

About $199,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Perham?

Homeowners pay a median $2,325 a year, which is about 1.17% 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 Perham?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,348 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $57,767 a year.

More about Perham

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