Housing decision brief
Perry County, PA Housing Market
Perry 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.
46th lowest home value out of 67 Pennsylvania counties with data | 28th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$222,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$838/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,181/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$343/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
$838/mo is 3% below Pennsylvania county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Perry 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. | $222,800 | $193,100 | $281,900 | 15% pressure15% above Pennsylvania county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $838 | $868 | $1,163 | Near state median3% below Pennsylvania county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,181 | $893 | $1,672 | 32% pressure32% above Pennsylvania county median |
Median household income | $78,824 | $64,758 | $74,755 | 22% favorable22% above Pennsylvania county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.25% | 1.29% | 1.02% | Near state median4% below Pennsylvania county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 27.00% | N/A | Near state median26.00% 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
+$45,304
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,210
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Perry County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $838/month representing approximately 12.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 26.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Perry County pay $838/month on average, compared to $1,181/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 29%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $50,614/year. With a median household income of $78,824, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Perry County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Pennsylvania, Perry County is more affordable than Indiana County by roughly 7% ($838/mo vs $786/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, PA | $220,600 | $922/mo | Same-state comparison near $220,600 home value and $922/mo rent. |
| Union County, PA | $222,900 | $944/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,900 home value and $944/mo rent. |
| Westmoreland County, PA | $193,100 | $843/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,100 home value and $843/mo rent. |
| Wyoming County, PA | $205,600 | $897/mo | Same-state comparison near $205,600 home value and $897/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 Perry County
Is Perry County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Perry County?
How much income do you need for housing in Perry County?
What should I double-check before moving to Perry County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.