Housing decision brief
Fulton County, PA Housing Market
Fulton County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
40th lowest home value out of 67 Pennsylvania counties with data | 16th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$206,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$781/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$817/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
19.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$36/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$781/mo is 10% below Pennsylvania county median
Rent burden below pressure line
19.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 92.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Fulton County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $206,000 | $193,100 | $281,900 | 7% pressure7% above Pennsylvania county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $781 | $868 | $1,163 | 10% favorable10% below Pennsylvania county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $817 | $893 | $1,672 | 9% favorable9% below Pennsylvania county median |
Median household income | $64,798 | $64,758 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Pennsylvania county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.03% | 1.29% | 1.02% | 21% favorable21% below Pennsylvania county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 19.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 30% favorable19.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$33,558
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,784
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Fulton County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $781/month , about 14.5% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $781/month rent versus $817/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $36/month cheaper , a 4% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,014/year. With a median household income of $64,798, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 19.0% of renter households in Fulton County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Fulton County sits 7% more expensive than Juniata County ($730/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juniata County, PA | $206,300 | $730/mo | Same-state comparison near $206,300 home value and $730/mo rent. |
| Sullivan County, PA | $186,400 | $781/mo | Same-state comparison near $186,400 home value and $781/mo rent. |
| Huntingdon County, PA | $180,300 | $795/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,300 home value and $795/mo rent. |
| Lycoming County, PA | $195,600 | $887/mo | Same-state comparison near $195,600 home value and $887/mo rent. |
| Snyder County, PA | $205,500 | $890/mo | Same-state comparison near $205,500 home value and $890/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Fulton County
Is Fulton County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Fulton County?
How much income do you need for housing in Fulton County?
What should I double-check before moving to Fulton County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.