Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaColumbia CountyLightstreet Population 1,273 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Lightstreet, Pennsylvania

A $152,000 home here costs

$1,368

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $781. The real number is $587 higher every month — 75% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Lightstreet median: $152,200
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, $121,600 borrowed $781
Property tax1.165% effective rate for Lightstreet itself $148
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $51
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $127
Total monthly $1,368

Lightstreet against Columbia County and Pennsylvania

MeasureLightstreetColumbia County
Median home value$152,200$199,200
Median property tax$1,773$2,266
Effective tax rate1.165%1.138%
Median gross rent$1,055$904
Population1,27365,055

The weather behind that power bill

Lightstreet sits in Columbia County, which averages a high of 80.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 16.2°F in its coldest, with 48.42" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 406 cooling and 6,703 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Columbia County

Full Columbia County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

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

A $152,000 home in Lightstreet, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,368 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $781 principal and interest, $148 property tax, $51 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $127 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Lightstreet?

Lightstreet has an effective property tax rate of 1.165%, based on a median home value of $152,200 and median real estate taxes of $1,773. That is higher than the Columbia County average of 1.138%.

What is the average home price in Lightstreet?

The median owner-occupied home value in Lightstreet, Pennsylvania is $152,200, against $199,200 across Columbia County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lightstreet?

Median gross rent in Lightstreet is $1,055 a month, against $1,368 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 Lightstreet — 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