Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaErie CountyErie Population 94,156 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Erie, Pennsylvania

A $108,000 home here costs

$1,151

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $555. The real number is $595 higher every month — 107% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Erie median: $108,200
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, $86,400 borrowed $555
Property tax2.306% effective rate for Erie itself $208
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $36
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $90
Total monthly $1,151

Erie against Erie County and Pennsylvania

MeasureErieErie County
Median home value$108,200$169,500
Median property tax$2,495$2,754
Effective tax rate2.306%1.625%
Median gross rent$836$876
Population94,156269,544

The weather behind that power bill

Erie sits in Erie County, which averages a high of 81.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 21.3°F in its coldest, with 42.98" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 752 cooling and 5,905 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Erie County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Erie County

Full Erie County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

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

A $108,000 home in Erie, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,151 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $555 principal and interest, $208 property tax, $36 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $90 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Erie?

Erie has an effective property tax rate of 2.306%, based on a median home value of $108,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,495. That is higher than the Erie County average of 1.625%.

What is the average home price in Erie?

The median owner-occupied home value in Erie, Pennsylvania is $108,200, against $169,500 across Erie County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Erie?

Median gross rent in Erie is $836 a month, against $1,151 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 Erie — 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