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Buying a home in Palestine, Texas

The typical owner-occupied home in Palestine is worth about $166,000, 42% below the Texas median of $283,800 and 50% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,977 a year in property taxes, about 1.19% of their home's value, lower than the Texas rate of 1.49%. The median household earns $44,981 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (3.6 times for Texas). 55% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 44% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Palestine at a glance

Palestine Texas U.S.
Median home value $166,000 $283,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,977 $4,232 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.19% 1.49% 0.94%
Median household income $44,981 $78,476 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 55% 63% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 44% 56% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,441 $2,106 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.3% 21.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,062 $1,403 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 37.8% 30.9% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1976 1992 1980
Vacant homes 13.0% 9.4% 10.1%
Population 19,136 30,188,424 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Palestine

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Palestine home of $166,000 with 20% down costs about $1,127 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,404, 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 $48,306 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 30% of the median Palestine household income of $44,981; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $155,000.

The median rent here is $1,062 a month, so owning the median home costs about $65 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$33,200
Loan amount$132,800
Principal and interest$893
Property taxes (1.19% a year)$165
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$69
PMI$0
Total per month$1,127

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,810
Loan amount$162,993
Principal and interest$1,096
Property taxes (1.19% a year)$165
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$69
FHA mortgage insurance$73
Total per month$1,404

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Questions about home buying in Palestine

What is the median home value in Palestine?

About $166,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Palestine?

Homeowners pay a median $1,977 a year, which is about 1.19% 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 Palestine?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,127 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $48,306 a year.

More about Palestine

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