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Buying a home in Perry County, Pennsylvania

The typical owner-occupied home in Perry County is worth about $236,400, 7% below the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 29% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,859 a year in property taxes, about 1.21% of their home's value, lower than the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $79,444 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 82% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 60% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Perry County at a glance

Perry County Pennsylvania U.S.
Median home value $236,400 $254,500 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,859 $3,311 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.21% 1.30% 0.94%
Median household income $79,444 $77,971 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 82% 69% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 60% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,637 $1,762 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.1% 19.4% 21.0%
Median rent $874 $1,209 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 26.9% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1976 1965 1980
Vacant homes 8.7% 9.2% 10.1%
Population 46,239 13,018,639 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Perry County

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Perry County home of $236,400 with 20% down costs about $1,609 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,003, 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 $68,961 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Perry County household income of $79,444; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $272,000.

The median rent here is $874 a month, so owning the median home costs about $735 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$47,280
Loan amount$189,120
Principal and interest$1,272
Property taxes (1.21% a year)$238
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$98
PMI$0
Total per month$1,609

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,274
Loan amount$232,118
Principal and interest$1,561
Property taxes (1.21% a year)$238
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$98
FHA mortgage insurance$105
Total per month$2,003

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Questions about home buying in Perry County

What is the median home value in Perry County?

About $236,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Perry County?

Homeowners pay a median $2,859 a year, which is about 1.21% 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 Perry County?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,609 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $68,961 a year.

More about Perry County

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