The typical owner-occupied home in Ernest is worth about $76,200, 70% below the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 77% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,018 a year in property taxes, about 1.34% of their home's value, close to the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $68,125 a year, so the median home costs 1.1 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 70% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Ernest at a glance
| Ernest | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,200 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,018 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.34% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $68,125 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 70% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 58% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $961 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 14.3% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $906 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 16.8% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 13.8% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 366 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Ernest
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Ernest home of $76,200 with 20% down costs about $527 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $654, 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 $22,582 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 9% of the median Ernest household income of $68,125; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $230,000.
The median rent here is $906 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $15,240 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $60,960 |
| Principal and interest | $410 |
| Property taxes (1.34% a year) | $85 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $32 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $527 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $2,667 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $74,820 |
| Principal and interest | $503 |
| Property taxes (1.34% a year) | $85 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $32 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $34 |
| Total per month | $654 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Ernest
What is the median home value in Ernest?
About $76,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Ernest?
Homeowners pay a median $1,018 a year, which is about 1.34% 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 Ernest?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $527 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $22,582 a year.
More about Ernest
- Mortgage Refinance in Ernest
- Debt Relief in Ernest
- Home Equity Loans in Ernest
- 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