Housing decision brief
Lawrence County, PA Housing Market
Lawrence County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher 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.
12th lowest home value out of 67 Pennsylvania counties with data | 15th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$136,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$778/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$865/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$87/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$136,700 median home value is 29% below Pennsylvania county median
Lower rent
$778/mo is 10% below Pennsylvania county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$60,779 median income is 6% below Pennsylvania county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.45% effective property-tax rate is 12% above Pennsylvania county median
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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Lawrence 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. | $136,700 | $193,100 | $281,900 | 29% favorable29% below Pennsylvania county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $778 | $868 | $1,163 | 10% favorable10% below Pennsylvania county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $865 | $893 | $1,672 | Near state median3% below Pennsylvania county median |
Median household income | $60,779 | $64,758 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below Pennsylvania county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.45% | 1.29% | 1.02% | 12% pressure12% above Pennsylvania county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 11% pressure30.00% 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
+$29,659
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$23,708
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Lawrence County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $778/month in gross rent, with 30.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Lawrence County pay $778/month on average, compared to $865/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 10%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,120/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,071/year. With a median household income of $60,779, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Lawrence County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Pennsylvania, Lawrence County is more affordable than Elk County by roughly 8% ($778/mo vs $720/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mifflin County, PA | $142,900 | $792/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,900 home value and $792/mo rent. |
| Crawford County, PA | $143,400 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,400 home value and $800/mo rent. |
| Potter County, PA | $146,200 | $767/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,200 home value and $767/mo rent. |
| Indiana County, PA | $145,400 | $786/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,400 home value and $786/mo rent. |
| Somerset County, PA | $130,600 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $130,600 home value and $749/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lawrence County
Is Lawrence County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lawrence County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lawrence County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lawrence County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.