Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lancaster, Ohio
A $180,000 home here costs
$1,530per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $925. The real number is $605 higher every month — 65% 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.
Lancaster against Fairfield County and Ohio
| Measure | Lancaster | Fairfield County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,200 | $272,200 |
| Median property tax | $1,736 | $3,123 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.963% | 1.147% |
| Median gross rent | $999 | $1,114 |
| Population | 40,902 | 161,289 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lancaster sits in Fairfield County, which averages a high of 84.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.3°F in its coldest, with 40.3" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 824 cooling and 5,472 heating degree days, which is what sets the $175 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Fairfield County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Fairfield County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lancaster?
A $180,000 home in Lancaster, Ohio costs approximately $1,530 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $925 principal and interest, $144 property tax, $67 homeowners insurance, $243 utilities and $150 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lancaster?
Lancaster has an effective property tax rate of 0.963%, based on a median home value of $180,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,736. That is lower than the Fairfield County average of 1.147%.
What is the average home price in Lancaster?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lancaster, Ohio is $180,200, against $272,200 across Fairfield County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lancaster?
Median gross rent in Lancaster is $999 a month, against $1,530 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 Lancaster — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Ohio.
- 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.