Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Birchwood Lakes, Pennsylvania
A $172,000 home here costs
$1,618per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $69,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $938. The real number is $681 higher every month, 73% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Pike County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Birchwood Lakes from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,255 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Pike County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Birchwood Lakes against Pike County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Birchwood Lakes | Pike County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,900 | $250,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,806 | $3,502 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.632% | 1.396% |
| Median gross rent | $1,401 | $1,383 |
| Population | 1,255 | 59,691 |
The weather behind that power bill
Birchwood Lakes sits in Pike County, which averages a high of 77.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.1°F in its coldest, with 50.22" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 289 cooling and 7,247 heating degree days, which is what sets the $178 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Pike County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Pike County
Full Pike County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Birchwood Lakes averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Birchwood Lakes every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Birchwood Lakes I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Birchwood Lakes?
A $172,000 home in Birchwood Lakes, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,618 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $938 principal and interest, $234 property tax, $57 homeowners insurance, $246 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Birchwood Lakes?
Birchwood Lakes has an effective property tax rate of 1.632%, based on a median home value of $171,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,806. That is higher than the Pike County average of 1.396%.
What is the average home price in Birchwood Lakes?
The median owner-occupied home value in Birchwood Lakes, Pennsylvania is $171,900, against $250,900 across Pike County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Birchwood Lakes?
Median gross rent in Birchwood Lakes is $1,401 a month, against $1,618 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Birchwood Lakes?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Birchwood Lakes, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $69,500 a year. That covers the full $1,618 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Birchwood Lakes, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Pennsylvania.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.