Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaLackawanna CountyDalton Population 1,381 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Dalton, Pennsylvania

A $248,000 home here costs

$2,174

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,275. The real number is $899 higher every month — 70% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Dalton median: $247,900
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $198,400 borrowed $1,275
Property tax1.681% effective rate for Dalton itself $347
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $83
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $207
Total monthly $2,174

Dalton against Lackawanna County and Pennsylvania

MeasureDaltonLackawanna County
Median home value$247,900$189,900
Median property tax$4,168$2,910
Effective tax rate1.681%1.532%
Median gross rent$1,567$973
Population1,381215,834

The weather behind that power bill

Dalton 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 $194 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

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Dalton?

A $248,000 home in Dalton, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,174 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,275 principal and interest, $347 property tax, $83 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $207 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Dalton?

Dalton has an effective property tax rate of 1.681%, based on a median home value of $247,900 and median real estate taxes of $4,168. That is higher than the Lackawanna County average of 1.532%.

What is the average home price in Dalton?

The median owner-occupied home value in Dalton, Pennsylvania is $247,900, against $189,900 across Lackawanna County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Dalton?

Median gross rent in Dalton is $1,567 a month, against $2,174 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Dalton — 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.

Full methodology