The typical owner-occupied home in Lorain is worth about $139,200, 35% below the Ohio median of $214,800 and 58% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,708 a year in property taxes, about 1.23% of their home's value, lower than the Ohio rate of 1.31%. The median household earns $48,685 a year, so the median home costs 2.9 times the median income (3.0 times for Ohio). 57% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Lorain at a glance
| Lorain | Ohio | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,200 | $214,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,708 | $2,822 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.23% | 1.31% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $48,685 | $71,389 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 57% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 57% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,218 | $1,517 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.2% | 18.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $887 | $1,034 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.5% | 28.3% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1961 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 10.3% | 8.1% | 10.1% |
| Population | 65,395 | 11,810,293 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Lorain
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lorain home of $139,200 with 20% down costs about $950 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,182, 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 $40,706 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 23% of the median Lorain household income of $48,685; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $166,000.
The median rent here is $887 a month, so owning the median home costs about $63 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $27,840 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $111,360 |
| Principal and interest | $749 |
| Property taxes (1.23% a year) | $143 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $58 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $950 |
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| Down payment | $4,872 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $136,679 |
| Principal and interest | $919 |
| Property taxes (1.23% a year) | $143 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $58 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $62 |
| Total per month | $1,182 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Lorain
What is the median home value in Lorain?
About $139,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Lorain?
Homeowners pay a median $1,708 a year, which is about 1.23% 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?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $950 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $40,706 a year.
More about Lorain
- Mortgage Refinance in Lorain
- Debt Relief in Lorain
- Home Equity Loans in Lorain
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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