Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Rutherford, Pennsylvania
A $189,000 home here costs
$1,717per 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 $73,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,030. The real number is $686 higher every month, 67% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Dauphin 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.
Rutherford against Dauphin County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | Rutherford | Dauphin County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $189,300 | $222,300 |
| Median property tax | $2,641 | $3,171 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.395% | 1.426% |
| Median gross rent | $1,228 | $1,153 |
| Population | 6,982 | 287,484 |
The weather behind that power bill
Rutherford sits in Dauphin County, which averages a high of 83.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.0°F in its coldest, with 50.85" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 642 cooling and 5,860 heating degree days, which is what sets the $178 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dauphin County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dauphin County
Full Dauphin County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Rutherford 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 Rutherford every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Rutherford I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Rutherford?
A $189,000 home in Rutherford, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,717 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,030 principal and interest, $220 property tax, $63 homeowners insurance, $246 utilities and $158 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Rutherford?
Rutherford has an effective property tax rate of 1.395%, based on a median home value of $189,300 and median real estate taxes of $2,641. That is lower than the Dauphin County average of 1.426%.
What is the average home price in Rutherford?
The median owner-occupied home value in Rutherford, Pennsylvania is $189,300, against $222,300 across Dauphin County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rutherford?
Median gross rent in Rutherford is $1,228 a month, against $1,717 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 Rutherford?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Rutherford, Pennsylvania at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $73,500 a year. That covers the full $1,717 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Rutherford, 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.