Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Emerald Lakes, Pennsylvania
A $260,000 home here costs
$2,309per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,337. The real number is $973 higher every month — 73% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Emerald Lakes against Monroe County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Emerald Lakes | Monroe County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $259,900 | $241,200 |
| Median property tax | $4,890 | $4,435 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.881% | 1.839% |
| Median gross rent | $1,016 | $1,347 |
| Population | 2,839 | 167,784 |
The weather behind that power bill
Emerald Lakes sits in Monroe 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 $194 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Monroe County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Monroe County
Full Monroe County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Emerald Lakes?
A $260,000 home in Emerald Lakes, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,309 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,337 principal and interest, $408 property tax, $87 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $217 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Emerald Lakes?
Emerald Lakes has an effective property tax rate of 1.881%, based on a median home value of $259,900 and median real estate taxes of $4,890. That is higher than the Monroe County average of 1.839%.
What is the average home price in Emerald Lakes?
The median owner-occupied home value in Emerald Lakes, Pennsylvania is $259,900, against $241,200 across Monroe County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Emerald Lakes?
Median gross rent in Emerald Lakes is $1,016 a month, against $2,309 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 Emerald 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.