Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaLancaster CountyRheems Population 2,526 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Rheems, Pennsylvania

A $258,000 home here costs

$2,229

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,326. The real number is $903 higher every month — 68% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Rheems median: $257,500
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, $206,400 borrowed $1,326
Property tax1.580% effective rate for Rheems itself $340
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $86
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $215
Total monthly $2,229

Rheems against Lancaster County and Pennsylvania

MeasureRheemsLancaster County
Median home value$257,500$279,400
Median property tax$4,068$3,941
Effective tax rate1.580%1.411%
Median gross rent$1,575$1,289
Population2,526555,151

The weather behind that power bill

Rheems sits in Lancaster County, which averages a high of 87.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 22.2°F in its coldest, with 44.15" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,030 cooling and 5,129 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Lancaster County

Full Lancaster County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

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

A $258,000 home in Rheems, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,229 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,326 principal and interest, $340 property tax, $86 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $215 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Rheems?

Rheems has an effective property tax rate of 1.580%, based on a median home value of $257,500 and median real estate taxes of $4,068. That is higher than the Lancaster County average of 1.411%.

What is the average home price in Rheems?

The median owner-occupied home value in Rheems, Pennsylvania is $257,500, against $279,400 across Lancaster County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rheems?

Median gross rent in Rheems is $1,575 a month, against $2,229 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 Rheems — 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