The typical owner-occupied home in West Chester is worth about $490,700, 93% above the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 47% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,890 a year in property taxes, about 1.00% of their home's value, lower than the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $78,385 a year, so the median home costs 6.3 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 35% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 68% of those owners still have a mortgage.
West Chester at a glance
| West Chester | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $490,700 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,890 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.00% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $78,385 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 35% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 68% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,341 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.3% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,731 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 31.8% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1954 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.9% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 20,666 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in West Chester
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median West Chester home of $490,700 with 20% down costs about $3,254 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $4,072, 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 $139,464 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 50% of the median West Chester household income of $78,385; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $276,000.
The median rent here is $1,731 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,523 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $98,140 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $392,560 |
| Principal and interest | $2,641 |
| Property taxes (1.00% a year) | $409 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $204 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $3,254 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $17,174 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $481,812 |
| Principal and interest | $3,241 |
| Property taxes (1.00% a year) | $409 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $204 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $217 |
| Total per month | $4,072 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in West Chester
What is the median home value in West Chester?
About $490,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in West Chester?
Homeowners pay a median $4,890 a year, which is about 1.00% 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 West Chester?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $3,254 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $139,464 a year.
More about West Chester
- Mortgage Refinance in West Chester
- Debt Relief in West Chester
- Home Equity Loans in West Chester
- 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