Home / Home Buying by state / Pennsylvania / Columbia County / Benton

Buying a home in Benton, Pennsylvania

The typical owner-occupied home in Benton is worth about $168,400, 34% below the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 49% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,766 a year in property taxes, about 1.05% of their home's value, lower than the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $34,500 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 43% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 63% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Benton at a glance

Benton Pennsylvania U.S.
Median home value $168,400 $254,500 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,766 $3,311 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.05% 1.30% 0.94%
Median household income $34,500 $77,971 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 43% 69% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 63% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,445 $1,762 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 26.4% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $956 $1,209 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 46.3% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1956 1965 1980
Vacant homes 21.5% 9.2% 10.1%
Population 485 13,018,639 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Benton

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Benton home of $168,400 with 20% down costs about $1,124 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,404, 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 $48,162 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 39% of the median Benton household income of $34,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $121,000.

The median rent here is $956 a month, so owning the median home costs about $168 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$33,680
Loan amount$134,720
Principal and interest$906
Property taxes (1.05% a year)$147
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$70
PMI$0
Total per month$1,124

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,894
Loan amount$165,350
Principal and interest$1,112
Property taxes (1.05% a year)$147
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$70
FHA mortgage insurance$74
Total per month$1,404

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Benton

What is the median home value in Benton?

About $168,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Benton?

Homeowners pay a median $1,766 a year, which is about 1.05% 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 Benton?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,124 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $48,162 a year.

More about Benton

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