Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in West Fairview, Pennsylvania
A $159,000 home here costs
$1,450per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $817. The real number is $633 higher every month — 77% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
West Fairview against Cumberland County and Pennsylvania
| Measure | West Fairview | Cumberland County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,200 | $261,900 |
| Median property tax | $2,225 | $3,180 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.398% | 1.214% |
| Median gross rent | $1,108 | $1,184 |
| Population | 1,221 | 264,422 |
The weather behind that power bill
West Fairview 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 West Fairview?
A $159,000 home in West Fairview, Pennsylvania costs approximately $1,450 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $817 principal and interest, $185 property tax, $53 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $133 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in West Fairview?
West Fairview has an effective property tax rate of 1.398%, based on a median home value of $159,200 and median real estate taxes of $2,225. That is higher than the Cumberland County average of 1.214%.
What is the average home price in West Fairview?
The median owner-occupied home value in West Fairview, Pennsylvania is $159,200, against $261,900 across Cumberland County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West Fairview?
Median gross rent in West Fairview is $1,108 a month, against $1,450 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 West Fairview — 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.