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Buying a home in Homer, New York

The typical owner-occupied home in Homer is worth about $165,200, 61% below the New York median of $423,800 and 50% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,884 a year in property taxes, about 2.96% of their home's value, higher than the New York rate of 1.55%. The median household earns $72,472 a year, so the median home costs 2.3 times the median income (4.9 times for New York). 69% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 43% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Homer at a glance

Homer New York U.S.
Median home value $165,200 $423,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,884 $6,582 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 2.96% 1.55% 0.94%
Median household income $72,472 $85,974 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 69% 54% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 43% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,595 $2,555 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.0% 22.5% 21.0%
Median rent $1,158 $1,621 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 35.3% 31.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1938 1959 1980
Vacant homes 0.0% 10.0% 10.1%
Population 3,114 19,852,366 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Homer

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Homer home of $165,200 with 20% down costs about $1,365 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,641, 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 $58,516 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 23% of the median Homer household income of $72,472; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $205,000.

The median rent here is $1,158 a month, so owning the median home costs about $207 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$33,040
Loan amount$132,160
Principal and interest$889
Property taxes (2.96% a year)$407
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$69
PMI$0
Total per month$1,365

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,782
Loan amount$162,208
Principal and interest$1,091
Property taxes (2.96% a year)$407
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$69
FHA mortgage insurance$73
Total per month$1,641

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Questions about home buying in Homer

What is the median home value in Homer?

About $165,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Homer?

Homeowners pay a median $4,884 a year, which is about 2.96% 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 Homer?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,365 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $58,516 a year.

More about Homer

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