Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
A $42,000 home here costs
$622per 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 $26,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $229. The real number is $393 higher every month, 172% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Cambria 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.
Johnstown against Cambria County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Johnstown | Cambria County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $42,100 | $115,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,181 | $1,487 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.805% | 1.283% |
| Median gross rent | $616 | $733 |
| Population | 18,245 | 132,355 |
The weather behind that power bill
Johnstown sits in Cambria County, which averages a high of 78.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 15.9°F in its coldest, with 48.68" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 294 cooling and 6,963 heating degree days, which is what sets the $178 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Cambria County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Cambria County
Full Cambria County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Johnstown 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 Johnstown every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Johnstown I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Johnstown?
A $42,000 home in Johnstown, Pennsylvania costs approximately $622 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $229 principal and interest, $98 property tax, $14 homeowners insurance, $246 utilities and $35 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Johnstown?
Johnstown has an effective property tax rate of 2.805%, based on a median home value of $42,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,181. That is higher than the Cambria County average of 1.283%.
What is the average home price in Johnstown?
The median owner-occupied home value in Johnstown, Pennsylvania is $42,100, against $115,900 across Cambria County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Johnstown?
Median gross rent in Johnstown is $616 a month, against $622 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 Johnstown?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Johnstown, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $26,500 a year. That covers the full $622 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Johnstown, 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.