Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaButler CountyProspect Population 1,104 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Prospect, Pennsylvania

A $171,000 home here costs

$1,509

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $879. The real number is $630 higher every month — 72% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Prospect median: $170,600
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, $136,800 borrowed $879
Property tax1.185% effective rate for Prospect itself $169
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $57
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $143
Total monthly $1,509

Prospect against Butler County and Pennsylvania

MeasureProspectButler County
Median home value$170,600$275,600
Median property tax$2,022$2,950
Effective tax rate1.185%1.070%
Median gross rent$885$1,018
Population1,104195,870

The weather behind that power bill

Prospect sits in Butler County, which averages a high of 81.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 17.3°F in its coldest, with 43.21" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 480 cooling and 6,457 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Butler County

Full Butler County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

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

A $171,000 home in Prospect, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,509 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $879 principal and interest, $169 property tax, $57 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $143 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Prospect?

Prospect has an effective property tax rate of 1.185%, based on a median home value of $170,600 and median real estate taxes of $2,022. That is higher than the Butler County average of 1.070%.

What is the average home price in Prospect?

The median owner-occupied home value in Prospect, Pennsylvania is $170,600, against $275,600 across Butler County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Prospect?

Median gross rent in Prospect is $885 a month, against $1,509 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 Prospect — 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