The typical owner-occupied home in Alpena is worth about $51,800, 80% below the South Dakota median of $257,400 and 84% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $611 a year in property taxes, about 1.18% of their home's value, higher than the South Dakota rate of 1.06%. The median household earns $66,667 a year, so the median home costs 0.8 times the median income (3.4 times for South Dakota). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 41% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Alpena at a glance
| Alpena | South Dakota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $51,800 | $257,400 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $611 | $2,724 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.18% | 1.06% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $66,667 | $75,081 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 78% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 41% | 54% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $773 | $1,680 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 16.7% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $925 | $946 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 20.5% | 25.9% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1945 | 1980 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.7% | 10.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 317 | 907,428 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Alpena
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Alpena home of $51,800 with 20% down costs about $351 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $438, 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 $15,055 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 6% of the median Alpena household income of $66,667; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $229,000.
The median rent here is $925 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $10,360 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $41,440 |
| Principal and interest | $279 |
| Property taxes (1.18% a year) | $51 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $22 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $351 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $1,813 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $50,862 |
| Principal and interest | $342 |
| Property taxes (1.18% a year) | $51 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $22 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $23 |
| Total per month | $438 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Alpena
What is the median home value in Alpena?
About $51,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Alpena?
Homeowners pay a median $611 a year, which is about 1.18% 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 Alpena?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $351 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $15,055 a year.
More about Alpena
- Mortgage Refinance in Alpena
- Debt Relief in Alpena
- Home Equity Loans in Alpena
- 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