Pennsylvania homeowners with a mortgage: What they are spending on housing

Buying a home in Pennsylvania is costing homeowners slightly less than most other states.

According to Gavop, homeowners in Pennsylvania with a mortgage spent, on average, 29.9 percent of their income on housing, compared to the national average of 30.9 percent, making the annual housing costs $16,992, $840 less expensive than the national annual average. Additionally, homes in the commonwealth are typically more than $30,000 less than the national average, costing $174,100, compared to $205,000 across the country. The median income in Pennsylvania is $56,907, only slightly below the national average of $57,617.

Clearfield County reigned as the county with the lowest housing costs in Pennsylvania. On average, homeowners with a mortgage spent 24.6 percent of their income on housing, or $11,640. It does help that the median home value in the county is $93,400, making the market more affordable for buyers. The median income is $44,100, more than $10,000 below the Pennsylvania and national average. Beaver County was named second for lowest housing costs. Residents in Beaver County with a mortgage spend 25.6 percent of their income on housing, or $14,136. The median home value is more expensive, at $149,700, but the median income is $56,722, on par with Pennsylvanians across the state.

In Philadelphia County, homeowners are spending the most across the state. Those with a mortgage are spending 35.8 percent of their income a month on housing, or $14,832 a year. The median income is $41,449, and the median home value is $154,000, both below the Pennsylvania and national average. Homeowners in Lackawanna County are right behind those in Philadelphia County. Those residents with a mortgage spend 32.3 percent of their income on housing, or $15,312. Their median income is $47,475, and the median home cost is $152,000.