Pennsylvania · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in York, PA

Prices around York, PA run 4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $48,420 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,335 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $53,400 a year.

York, PA at a glance

Median household income

$48,420$4,035 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,335HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)96.0-4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity21.7¢per kWh · EIA Residential PA
Population44,938Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in York, PA?

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

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,335Monthly market rent
Share of gross income33.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$53,400To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,211At 30% of $48,420
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in York, PA? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in York, PA, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$925$11,100$37,00022.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,060$12,720$42,40026.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,335$16,020$53,40033.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,796$21,552$71,84044.5%
4-Bedroom Home$1,850$22,200$74,00045.8%

Rent in York, PA, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in York, PA

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $48,420 a year ($4,035 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,018/moRent ($1,335 2-BR), utilities (~$196/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,211/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$807/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $48,420 leaves after Pennsylvania taxes

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

$48,420
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$48,420
Net 82%
Fed 7%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$39,599After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,300Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,523Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,630 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$1,486 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,704 / yr

Living in York, PA: common questions

What is the median household income in York, PA?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in York, PA is $48,420 per year (approximately $4,035 per month).

What is the average rent in York, PA?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $925 for a studio, $1,060 for one bedroom, $1,335 for two, $1,796 for three and $1,850 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 York, PA expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 96.0, 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 York, PA?

To keep a $1,335 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $53,400 a year, or $4,450 a month. That is 110% of what the typical household in York, PA earns.

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

On the local median income of $48,420 ($4,035 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,018 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,211 for everything else and $807 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,335 takes 66% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in York, 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.