The typical owner-occupied home in Houston is worth about $203,800, 20% below the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 39% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,772 a year in property taxes, about 0.87% of their home's value, lower than the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $64,773 a year, so the median home costs 3.1 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Houston at a glance
| Houston | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,800 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,772 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.87% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $64,773 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 62% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 66% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,204 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 15.3% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $775 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 35.0% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 13.2% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,313 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Houston
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Houston home of $203,800 with 20% down costs about $1,329 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,669, 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 $56,976 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Houston household income of $64,773; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $232,000.
The median rent here is $775 a month, so owning the median home costs about $554 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $40,760 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $163,040 |
| Principal and interest | $1,097 |
| Property taxes (0.87% a year) | $148 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $85 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,329 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,133 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $200,109 |
| Principal and interest | $1,346 |
| Property taxes (0.87% a year) | $148 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $85 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $90 |
| Total per month | $1,669 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Houston
What is the median home value in Houston?
About $203,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Houston?
Homeowners pay a median $1,772 a year, which is about 0.87% 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 Houston?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,329 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $56,976 a year.
More about Houston
- Mortgage Refinance in Houston
- Debt Relief in Houston
- Home Equity Loans in Houston
- 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