Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Chester, Pennsylvania
A $85,000 home here costs
$948per 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 $40,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $463. The real number is $484 higher every month, 104% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Delaware 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.
Chester against Delaware County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Chester | Delaware County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,400 | $302,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,676 | $6,001 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.963% | 1.984% |
| Median gross rent | $1,080 | $1,315 |
| Population | 33,209 | 576,195 |
The weather behind that power bill
Chester sits in Delaware County, which averages a high of 87.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 26.0°F in its coldest, with 44.11" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,358 cooling and 4,510 heating degree days, which is what sets the $178 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Delaware County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Delaware County
Full Delaware County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Chester 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 Chester every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Chester I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Chester?
A $85,000 home in Chester, Pennsylvania costs approximately $948 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $463 principal and interest, $139 property tax, $28 homeowners insurance, $246 utilities and $71 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Chester?
Chester has an effective property tax rate of 1.963%, based on a median home value of $85,400 and median real estate taxes of $1,676. That is lower than the Delaware County average of 1.984%.
What is the average home price in Chester?
The median owner-occupied home value in Chester, Pennsylvania is $85,400, against $302,400 across Delaware County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chester?
Median gross rent in Chester is $1,080 a month, against $948 to own the median home all in. Owning costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Chester?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Chester, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $40,500 a year. That covers the full $948 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Chester, 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.