Pennsylvania · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Perry County, PA

Prices around Perry County, PA run 1.3% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $79,444 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,493 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $59,720 a year.

Perry County, PA at a glance

Median household income

$79,444$6,620 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,493HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)98.7-1.3% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity21.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential PA
Population46,239Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Perry County, PA?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,493Monthly market rent
Share of gross income22.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$59,720To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,986At 30% of $79,444
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Perry County, PA? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Perry County, PA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,058$12,696$42,32016%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,212$14,544$48,48018.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,493$17,916$59,72022.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,920$23,040$76,80029%
4-Bedroom Home$1,977$23,724$79,08029.9%

Rent in Perry County, PA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Perry County, PA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $79,444 a year ($6,620 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,310/moRent ($1,493 2-BR), utilities (~$196/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,986/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,324/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $79,444 leaves after Pennsylvania taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Pennsylvania tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$79,444
$30,000$160,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$79,444
Net 78%
Fed 11%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$62,280After all taxes
Monthly deposit$5,190Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,395Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate21.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$8,648 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$2,439 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$6,077 / yr

Living in Perry County, PA: common questions

What is the median household income in Perry County, PA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Perry County, PA is $79,444 per year (approximately $6,620 per month).

What is the average rent in Perry County, PA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,058 for a studio, $1,212 for one bedroom, $1,493 for two, $1,920 for three and $1,977 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Perry County, PA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 1.3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 98.7, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Perry County, PA?

To keep a $1,493 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $59,720 a year, or $4,977 a month. That is 75% of what the typical household in Perry County, PA earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Perry County, PA?

On the local median income of $79,444 ($6,620 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,310 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,986 for everything else and $1,324 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,493 takes 45% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Perry County, PA?

Homes in Pennsylvania paid 21.7¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $196. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.