Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
A $223,000 home here costs
$2,044per 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 $87,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,225. The real number is $819 higher every month, 67% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Lancaster 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.
Elizabethtown against Lancaster County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Elizabethtown | Lancaster County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $222,600 | $279,400 |
| Median property tax | $3,744 | $3,941 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.682% | 1.411% |
| Median gross rent | $1,038 | $1,289 |
| Population | 11,857 | 555,151 |
The weather behind that power bill
Elizabethtown sits in Lancaster County, which averages a high of 87.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.2°F in its coldest, with 44.15" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,030 cooling and 5,129 heating degree days, which is what sets the $178 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Lancaster County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Lancaster County
Full Lancaster County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Elizabethtown 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 Elizabethtown every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Elizabethtown I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Elizabethtown?
A $223,000 home in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,044 per month with 20% down at 7.32%. That is $1,225 principal and interest, $313 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $246 utilities and $186 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Elizabethtown?
Elizabethtown has an effective property tax rate of 1.682%, based on a median home value of $222,600 and median real estate taxes of $3,744. That is higher than the Lancaster County average of 1.411%.
What is the average home price in Elizabethtown?
The median owner-occupied home value in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania is $222,600, against $279,400 across Lancaster County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Elizabethtown?
Median gross rent in Elizabethtown is $1,038 a month, against $2,044 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 Elizabethtown?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $87,500 a year. That covers the full $2,044 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Elizabethtown, 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.