The typical owner-occupied home in Pennsylvania is worth about $254,500, 24% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,311 a year in property taxes, about 1.30% of their home's value, higher than the national rate of 0.94%. The median household earns $77,971 a year, so the median home costs 3.3 times the median income (4.1 times for the U.S.). 69% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Pennsylvania at a glance
| Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Pennsylvania
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Pennsylvania home of $254,500 with 20% down costs about $1,751 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,175, 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 $75,059 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 27% of the median Pennsylvania household income of $77,971; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $264,000.
The median rent here is $1,209 a month, so owning the median home costs about $542 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $50,900 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $203,600 |
| Principal and interest | $1,370 |
| Property taxes (1.30% a year) | $276 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $106 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,751 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $8,908 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $249,890 |
| Principal and interest | $1,681 |
| Property taxes (1.30% a year) | $276 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $106 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $113 |
| Total per month | $2,175 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Pennsylvania
What is the median home value in Pennsylvania?
About $254,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Pennsylvania?
Homeowners pay a median $3,311 a year, which is about 1.30% 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 Pennsylvania?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,751 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $75,059 a year.
More about Pennsylvania
- Mortgage Refinance in Pennsylvania
- Debt Relief in Pennsylvania
- Home Equity Loans in Pennsylvania
- 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