Home / Home Buying by state / Ohio / Lorain County

Buying a home in Lorain County, Ohio

The typical owner-occupied home in Lorain County is worth about $223,200, 4% above the Ohio median of $214,800 and 33% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,055 a year in property taxes, about 1.37% of their home's value, close to the Ohio rate of 1.31%. The median household earns $73,347 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.0 times for Ohio). 74% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 62% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Lorain County at a glance

Lorain County Ohio U.S.
Median home value $223,200 $214,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,055 $2,822 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.37% 1.31% 0.94%
Median household income $73,347 $71,389 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 74% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 62% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,525 $1,517 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.8% 18.6% 21.0%
Median rent $966 $1,034 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.8% 28.3% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1973 1970 1980
Vacant homes 6.6% 8.1% 10.1%
Population 317,129 11,810,293 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Lorain County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lorain County home of $223,200 with 20% down costs about $1,549 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,921, 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 $66,386 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Lorain County household income of $73,347; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $247,000.

The median rent here is $966 a month, so owning the median home costs about $583 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$44,640
Loan amount$178,560
Principal and interest$1,201
Property taxes (1.37% a year)$255
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$93
PMI$0
Total per month$1,549

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,812
Loan amount$219,157
Principal and interest$1,474
Property taxes (1.37% a year)$255
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$93
FHA mortgage insurance$99
Total per month$1,921

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Lorain County

What is the median home value in Lorain County?

About $223,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Lorain County?

Homeowners pay a median $3,055 a year, which is about 1.37% 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 Lorain County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,549 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $66,386 a year.

More about Lorain County

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