The typical owner-occupied home in Hershey is worth about $379,200, 49% above the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 14% above the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,810 a year in property taxes, about 1.27% of their home's value, close to the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $78,587 a year, so the median home costs 4.8 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 54% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 57% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Hershey at a glance
| Hershey | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $379,200 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $4,810 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.27% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $78,587 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 54% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 57% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $2,315 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.6% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,268 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 28.4% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1970 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.2% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 14,242 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Hershey
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Hershey home of $379,200 with 20% down costs about $2,600 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $3,232, 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 $111,430 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 40% of the median Hershey household income of $78,587; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $267,000.
The median rent here is $1,268 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,332 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $75,840 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $303,360 |
| Principal and interest | $2,041 |
| Property taxes (1.27% a year) | $401 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $158 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $2,600 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $13,272 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $372,332 |
| Principal and interest | $2,505 |
| Property taxes (1.27% a year) | $401 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $158 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $168 |
| Total per month | $3,232 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Hershey
What is the median home value in Hershey?
About $379,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Hershey?
Homeowners pay a median $4,810 a year, which is about 1.27% 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 Hershey?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,600 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $111,430 a year.
More about Hershey
- Mortgage Refinance in Hershey
- Debt Relief in Hershey
- Home Equity Loans in Hershey
- 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