Housing decision brief
Mifflin County, PA Housing Market
Mifflin 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.
14th lowest home value out of 67 Pennsylvania counties with data | 21st lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$142,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$792/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$804/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$12/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
$142,900 median home value is 26% below Pennsylvania county median
Lower rent
$792/mo is 9% below Pennsylvania county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$61,415 median income is 5% below Pennsylvania county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.56% effective property-tax rate is 20% above Pennsylvania county median
Health context
Health score is 40.9 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
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 Mifflin 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. | $142,900 | $193,100 | $281,900 | 26% favorable26% below Pennsylvania county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $792 | $868 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Pennsylvania county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $804 | $893 | $1,672 | 10% favorable10% below Pennsylvania county median |
Median household income | $61,415 | $64,758 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Pennsylvania county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.56% | 1.29% | 1.02% | 20% pressure20% above Pennsylvania county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 7% favorable25.00% 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
+$29,735
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,958
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 Mifflin County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $792/month in gross rent, with 25.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Mifflin County is $792/month, while owner costs run $804/month. Renting saves approximately $12/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,680/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,457/year. With a median household income of $61,415, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Mifflin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Westmoreland County where rent averages $843/month, Mifflin County is approximately 6% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crawford County, PA | $143,400 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,400 home value and $800/mo rent. |
| Indiana County, PA | $145,400 | $786/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,400 home value and $786/mo rent. |
| Lawrence County, PA | $136,700 | $778/mo | Same-state comparison near $136,700 home value and $778/mo rent. |
| Potter County, PA | $146,200 | $767/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,200 home value and $767/mo rent. |
| Armstrong County, PA | $146,300 | $802/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,300 home value and $802/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Mifflin County
Is Mifflin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Mifflin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Mifflin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Mifflin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.