Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Carbondale, Pennsylvania
A $119,000 home here costs
$1,225per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.32% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $52,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $654. The real number is $571 higher every month, 87% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Lackawanna County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Carbondale against Lackawanna County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Carbondale | Lackawanna County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,800 | $189,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,241 | $2,910 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.886% | 1.532% |
| Median gross rent | $788 | $973 |
| Population | 8,820 | 215,834 |
The weather behind that power bill
Carbondale sits in Lackawanna County, which averages a high of 84.6°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.3°F in its coldest, with 38.72" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 791 cooling and 5,740 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lackawanna County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lackawanna County
Full Lackawanna County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Carbondale 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 Carbondale every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Carbondale I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Carbondale?
A $119,000 home in Carbondale, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,225 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $654 principal and interest, $187 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $99 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Carbondale?
Carbondale has an effective property tax rate of 1.886%, based on a median home value of $118,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,241. That is higher than the Lackawanna County average of 1.532%.
What is the average home price in Carbondale?
The median owner-occupied home value in Carbondale, Pennsylvania is $118,800, against $189,900 across Lackawanna County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Carbondale?
Median gross rent in Carbondale is $788 a month, against $1,225 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 Carbondale?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Carbondale, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $52,500 a year. That covers the full $1,225 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Carbondale, 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.