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Buying a home in Saint Joseph, Tennessee

The typical owner-occupied home in Saint Joseph is worth about $171,300, 40% below the Tennessee median of $286,700 and 49% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,013 a year in property taxes, about 0.59% of their home's value, higher than the Tennessee rate of 0.50%. The median household earns $49,112 a year, so the median home costs 3.5 times the median income (4.1 times for Tennessee). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 46% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Saint Joseph at a glance

Saint Joseph Tennessee U.S.
Median home value $171,300 $286,700 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,013 $1,442 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.59% 0.50% 0.94%
Median household income $49,112 $69,595 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 80% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 46% 58% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $944 $1,566 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.7% 19.6% 21.0%
Median rent $631 $1,189 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 30.0% 29.5% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1969 1987 1980
Vacant homes 10.4% 10.2% 10.1%
Population 783 7,066,383 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Saint Joseph

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Saint Joseph home of $171,300 with 20% down costs about $1,077 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,363, 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 $46,178 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 26% of the median Saint Joseph household income of $49,112; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $182,000.

The median rent here is $631 a month, so owning the median home costs about $446 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$34,260
Loan amount$137,040
Principal and interest$922
Property taxes (0.59% a year)$84
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$71
PMI$0
Total per month$1,077

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,996
Loan amount$168,197
Principal and interest$1,131
Property taxes (0.59% a year)$84
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$71
FHA mortgage insurance$76
Total per month$1,363

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Questions about home buying in Saint Joseph

What is the median home value in Saint Joseph?

About $171,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Saint Joseph?

Homeowners pay a median $1,013 a year, which is about 0.59% 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 Saint Joseph?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,077 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $46,178 a year.

More about Saint Joseph

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