Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaCumberland CountyShippensburg Population 5,811 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania

A $163,000 home here costs

$1,484

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $838. The real number is $646 higher every month — 77% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Shippensburg median: $163,200
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, $130,400 borrowed $838
Property tax1.428% effective rate for Shippensburg itself $194
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $54
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $136
Total monthly $1,484

Shippensburg against Cumberland County and Pennsylvania

MeasureShippensburgCumberland County
Median home value$163,200$261,900
Median property tax$2,330$3,180
Effective tax rate1.428%1.214%
Median gross rent$898$1,184
Population5,811264,422

Shippensburg extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Cumberland County, where most of its housing sits.

The weather behind that power bill

Shippensburg sits in Cumberland County, which averages a high of 85.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.5°F in its coldest, with 48.03" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 826 cooling and 5,559 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Cumberland County

Full Cumberland County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

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

A $163,000 home in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,484 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $838 principal and interest, $194 property tax, $54 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $136 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Shippensburg?

Shippensburg has an effective property tax rate of 1.428%, based on a median home value of $163,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,330. That is higher than the Cumberland County average of 1.214%.

What is the average home price in Shippensburg?

The median owner-occupied home value in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania is $163,200, against $261,900 across Cumberland County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shippensburg?

Median gross rent in Shippensburg is $898 a month, against $1,484 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 Shippensburg — 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