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City · 7,551 residents · Montgomery County, Kentucky

Mount Sterling , Kentucky

In Mount Sterling, a typical home is worth $187,600 and typical rent is $699 a month. Compared with all of Montgomery County, typical rent is 16% lower, the typical home value is 9% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 16 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $187,600

    9% above the county

    9% below Kentucky

    • Mount Sterling
    • Montgomery
    • Kentucky

  • Typical rent

    $699a month

    16% below the county

    28% below Kentucky

    • Mount Sterling
    • Montgomery
    • Kentucky

  • Typical household income

    $55,827a year

    About the same as the county

    12% below Kentucky

    • Mount Sterling
    • Montgomery
    • Kentucky

  • Households that own their home

    52%

    16 points below the county

    16 points below Kentucky

    • Mount Sterling
    • Montgomery
    • Kentucky

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$218,228
3.1% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Mount Sterling is in Montgomery County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Montgomery County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Mount Sterling apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Mount Sterling has the 4th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 76 cities in Kentucky with more than 5,000 people (26%).

  2. 52% of households in Mount Sterling own their home, against 68% in Montgomery County.

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Mount Sterling rose 3.1%; in Kentucky, it barely changed.

  4. The typical rent in Mount Sterling is $699 a month, 16% less than in Montgomery County as a whole ($830).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Mount Sterling

What homes there are in Mount Sterling, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Mount Sterling, 6 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Montgomery County, 7.

Year built

In Mount Sterling, half of the homes were built before 1975; in Montgomery County, before 1987.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Montgomery County is high ($541,287): at least 97% of owner-occupied homes in Mount Sterling are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,316 a month

Montgomery County: $1,242 a month

Without a mortgage

$562 a month

Montgomery County: $470 a month

Owners with a mortgage

66%

Montgomery County: 58%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Mount Sterling is $1,316 a month, more than in Montgomery County ($1,242); without one, $562.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in Montgomery County, the typical home value in Mount Sterling rose 46% since 2015–2019.

Rent in Mount Sterling moved so little since 2015–2019 that the Census cannot say whether it rose or fell.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureMount SterlingMontgomery CountyKentuckyUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2.0%3.4%
People per household 2.392.552.432.53
Drive alone 84%83%77%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Work from home 8%8%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Mount Sterling has 2.39 people, fewer than in Montgomery County (2.55).

In Mount Sterling, 84% of workers drive alone to work; in Montgomery County, 83%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Mount Sterling?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Mount Sterling, worth $187,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 33% of the typical household income in Mount Sterling, which is $55,827 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $65,477 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Montgomery County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Mount Sterling. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,566 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,528

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$184,202
Total interest
$265,024
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,168 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,303 a month

  • Tight

    $1,303 to $1,675 a month

    Your payment · 33%

  • Hard

    more than $1,675 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Mount Sterling ($55,827 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,528
Principal & interest$1,248
Property tax$119
Home insurance$78
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$83

You need at least $6,566 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Mount Sterling and Montgomery County

Mount Sterling is in Montgomery County, Kentucky. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Mount Sterling's own numbers

Typical home value
$187,600
Typical monthly rent
$699
Typical yearly household income
$55,827
Households that own their home
52%
Effective property tax rate
0.76%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Montgomery County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,004
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+55%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.7%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Montgomery County.

Everything about Montgomery County

Buying

Buying a home in Mount Sterling

A typical home in Mount Sterling is worth $187,600: 9% above the county and 9% below Kentucky. With the typical household income in Mount Sterling ($55,827 a year), a typical home costs 3.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Mount Sterling 3.4 years
  • Montgomery 3.1 years
  • Kentucky 3.2 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Montgomery County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Montgomery County rose 86% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Montgomery County.

Period County Kentucky U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.7% +3.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +55% +50% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +86% +84% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Mount Sterling next to Montgomery County, Kentucky and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Mount Sterling $187,600
  • Montgomery $172,200
  • Kentucky $205,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Mount Sterling $699
  • Montgomery $830
  • Kentucky $967
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Mount Sterling $55,827
  • Montgomery $56,396
  • Kentucky $63,726
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Mount Sterling next to Montgomery County and Kentucky
Measure Mount Sterling Montgomery County Kentucky U.S.
Typical home value $187,600 $172,200 $205,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $699 $830 $967 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $55,827 $56,396 $63,726 $80,734
Households that own their home 52% 68% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,421 $1,265 $1,544 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.76% 0.73% 0.75% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 26% 28% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Montgomery County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Mount Sterling

For a typical $187,600 home in Mount Sterling, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Mount Sterling's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,528a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,566
    Cash to close
    $12,194
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $83

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,493a month

    Down payment
    $9,380
    Cash to close
    $15,008
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $89

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,214a month

    Down payment
    $37,520
    Cash to close
    $43,148
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,387a month

    Down payment
    $28,140
    Cash to close
    $33,768
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Mount Sterling and for Montgomery County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Mount Sterling

0.76%of the home’s value each year

$1,421 a year for the typical owner in Mount Sterling.

  • Mount Sterling 0.76%
  • Montgomery 0.73%
  • Kentucky 0.75%

What Kentucky publishes Homestead exemption for owners 65 or older or totally disabled (Kentucky Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Kentucky

Flood risk in Montgomery County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Montgomery County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.7%
233
Of those, with NFIP insurance
11%
County Kentucky U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.7% 3.5% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 11% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Mount Sterling

Typical rent in Mount Sterling is $699 a month: 16% below the county. In Mount Sterling, 26% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Montgomery County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,004 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.31 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Montgomery County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $717 $13.79 $28,680
1 bedroom $767 $14.75 $30,680
2 bedrooms $1,004 $19.31 $40,160
3 bedrooms $1,314 $25.27 $52,560
4 bedrooms $1,320 $25.38 $52,800

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Mount Sterling

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Mount Sterling is in ZIP code 40353.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,150: $146 more than the fair market rent for Montgomery County ($1,004).

  • 40353 $1,150$1,570

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Mount Sterling when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Mount Sterling

HUD lists 2 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Mount Sterling. These are the largest.

  • Montgomery Square Apts 1376 Indian Mound Dr, Mount Sterling 40353 51 homes, 50 low-income · For older adults (859) 498-4100
  • Sterling Oaks 118 Ronameki Dr, Mount Sterling 40353 3 low-income homes · For people with disabilities (606) 329-8588, ext. 4591

See all 5 buildings in Montgomery County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Mount Sterling

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Montgomery County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Mount Sterling

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Mount Sterling or Montgomery County. The ones below are statewide in Kentucky: they work in Mount Sterling the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Kentucky

  • KHC Down Payment Assistance (DPA)

    Statewide in Kentucky

    Kentucky state corporation loan of up to $12,500 for the down payment and closing costs, repaid over 15 years as a second loan, for buyers who take a KHC mortgage. Offered by Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Mount Sterling

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Mount Sterling, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Apprisen - Lexington

    3499 Blazer Pkwy, Lexington · 27 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (800) 355-2227

  • Frontier Housing , Inc.

    259 Old Flemingsburg Rd, Morehead · 29 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 6 more
    (606) 784-2131

  • Community Ventures Corporation

    1450 N Broadway, Lexington · 29 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (859) 231-0054

All counseling agencies in Kentucky

Help in Spanish near Mount Sterling

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Mount Sterling

HUD’s record names them for Mount Sterling or Montgomery County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

All housing agencies in Kentucky Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Mount Sterling, with the typical home value.

Everything about Montgomery County Housing in Kentucky

Neighboring counties

If Montgomery County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Mount Sterling.

All guides
A family roasts marshmallows over a campfire at a forest campsite.

Questions

Housing questions about Mount Sterling

Short answers with the numbers for Mount Sterling and all of Montgomery County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Mount Sterling?

The typical home value in Mount Sterling is $187,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Montgomery County it is $172,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Mount Sterling?

Typical rent in Mount Sterling is $699 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Montgomery County is $1,004.

What is the FHA loan limit in Mount Sterling?

Mount Sterling uses the FHA limit for all of Montgomery County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Mount Sterling?

The typical homeowner in Mount Sterling pays $1,421 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.76% of the home’s value; in Montgomery County, the rate is 0.73%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Mount Sterling?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Montgomery County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).