The typical owner-occupied home in Puerto Rico is worth about $131,500, 60% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $646 a year in property taxes, about 0.49% of their home's value, lower than the national rate of 0.94%. The median household earns $26,297 a year, so the median home costs 5.0 times the median income (4.1 times for the U.S.). 68% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 37% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Puerto Rico at a glance
| Puerto Rico | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $131,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $646 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.49% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $26,297 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 37% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $946 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.1% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $578 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 21.0% | 10.1% |
| Population | 3,234,309 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Puerto Rico
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Puerto Rico home of $131,500 with 20% down costs about $816 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,035, 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 $34,979 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Puerto Rico household income of $26,297; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $99,000.
The median rent here is $578 a month, so owning the median home costs about $238 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $26,300 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $105,200 |
| Principal and interest | $708 |
| Property taxes (0.49% a year) | $54 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $55 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $816 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,602 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $129,118 |
| Principal and interest | $869 |
| Property taxes (0.49% a year) | $54 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $55 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $58 |
| Total per month | $1,035 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Puerto Rico
What is the median home value in Puerto Rico?
About $131,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Puerto Rico?
Homeowners pay a median $646 a year, which is about 0.49% 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 Puerto Rico?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $816 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $34,979 a year.
More about Puerto Rico
- Mortgage Refinance in Puerto Rico
- Debt Relief in Puerto Rico
- Home Equity Loans in Puerto Rico
- 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