Cost to Own
United StatesPennsylvaniaCentre CountyZion Population 2,173 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Zion, Pennsylvania

A $337,000 home here costs

$2,729

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,733. The real number is $996 higher every month — 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Zion median: $337,100
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, $269,600 borrowed $1,733
Property tax1.215% effective rate for Zion itself $341
Homeowners insurancePennsylvania averages $1,014/yr (NAIC), or 0.401% of home value $113
Electricity21.55¢/kWh — Pennsylvania residential average, EIA $194
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $281
Total monthly $2,729

Zion against Centre County and Pennsylvania

MeasureZionCentre County
Median home value$337,100$308,100
Median property tax$4,097$3,282
Effective tax rate1.215%1.065%
Median gross rent$1,146$1,181
Population2,173158,041

The weather behind that power bill

Zion sits in Centre County, which averages a high of 81.1°F in its hottest month and a low of 20.5°F in its coldest, with 41.53" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 666 cooling and 6,049 heating degree days, which is what sets the $194 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Centre County

Full Centre County cost breakdown · Every county in Pennsylvania

Common questions

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

A $337,000 home in Zion, Pennsylvania costs approximately $2,729 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,733 principal and interest, $341 property tax, $113 homeowners insurance, $262 utilities and $281 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Zion?

Zion has an effective property tax rate of 1.215%, based on a median home value of $337,100 and median real estate taxes of $4,097. That is higher than the Centre County average of 1.065%.

What is the average home price in Zion?

The median owner-occupied home value in Zion, Pennsylvania is $337,100, against $308,100 across Centre County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Zion?

Median gross rent in Zion is $1,146 a month, against $2,729 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 Zion — 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