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City · 21,579 residents · Lawrence County, Pennsylvania

New Castle , Pennsylvania

In New Castle, a typical home is worth $77,400 and typical rent is $741 a month. Compared with all of Lawrence County, the typical home value is 47% lower, typical household income is 32% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 21 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $77,400

    47% below the county

    70% below Pennsylvania

    • New Castle
    • Lawrence
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical rent

    $741a month

    11% below the county

    39% below Pennsylvania

    • New Castle
    • Lawrence
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical household income

    $42,219a year

    32% below the county

    46% below Pennsylvania

    • New Castle
    • Lawrence
    • Pennsylvania

  • Households that own their home

    55%

    21 points below the county

    14 points below Pennsylvania

    • New Castle
    • Lawrence
    • Pennsylvania

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$151,472
5.1% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$931 a month
10% more than 12 months ago

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

New Castle is in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets New Castle apart

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

  1. New Castle has the 8th lowest typical home value of the 273 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people ($77,400).

  2. 55% of households in New Castle own their home, against 76% in Lawrence County.

  3. The typical household income in New Castle is $42,219, 32% less than in Lawrence County as a whole ($61,931).

  4. New Castle has the 14th lowest typical rent of the 265 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people ($741).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in New Castle

What homes there are in New Castle, 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 New Castle, 7 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Lawrence County, 8.

Year built

Homes in New Castle are older: the typical year built is 1944; in Lawrence County, 1957.

In New Castle, 16% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 56% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 65% in Lawrence County.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in New Castle cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,095): about 73%.

With a mortgage

$1,079 a month

Lawrence County: $1,290 a month

Without a mortgage

$482 a month

Lawrence County: $543 a month

Owners with a mortgage

53%

Lawrence County: 53%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in New Castle is $1,079 a month, less than in Lawrence County ($1,290); without one, $482.

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

Homes in New Castle gained value more slowly than in Lawrence County: 25% since 2015–2019, against 32%.

Rent in New Castle 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

MeasureNew CastleLawrence CountyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.8%4.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.6%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate0.6%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.222.292.392.53
Drive alone 75%76%68%69%
Carpool 9%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%4%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%4%3%
Work from home 12%13%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in New Castle has 2.22 people on average, about the same as in Lawrence County (2.29).

The car rules in New Castle: 75% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

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 New Castle?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in New Castle, worth $77,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 20% of the typical household income in New Castle, which is $42,219 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in New Castle. 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 $2,709 (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

$711

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$75,998
Total interest
$109,343
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,307 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $985 a month

    Your payment · 20%

  • Tight

    $985 to $1,267 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,267 a month

Compared with the typical household income in New Castle ($42,219 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$711
Principal & interest$515
Property tax$130
Home insurance$32
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$34

You need at least $2,709 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

New Castle and Lawrence County

New Castle is in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. 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).

New Castle's own numbers

Typical home value
$77,400
Typical monthly rent
$741
Typical yearly household income
$42,219
Households that own their home
55%
Effective property tax rate
2.01%

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

Numbers for all of Lawrence County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,095
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.6%

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 Lawrence County.

Everything about Lawrence County

Buying

Buying a home in New Castle

A typical home in New Castle is worth $77,400: 47% below the county and 70% below Pennsylvania. With the typical household income in New Castle ($42,219 a year), a typical home costs 1.8 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.

  • New Castle 1.8 years
  • Lawrence 2.4 years
  • Pennsylvania 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Lawrence County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Lawrence County rose 74% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Pennsylvania U.S.
Last year (2025) +6.4% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +48% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +74% +77% +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

New Castle next to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania and the U.S.

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

Typical home value
  • New Castle $77,400
  • Lawrence $147,200
  • Pennsylvania $254,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • New Castle $741
  • Lawrence $831
  • Pennsylvania $1,209
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • New Castle $42,219
  • Lawrence $61,931
  • Pennsylvania $77,971
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
New Castle next to Lawrence County and Pennsylvania
Measure New Castle Lawrence County Pennsylvania U.S.
Typical home value $77,400 $147,200 $254,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $741 $831 $1,209 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $42,219 $61,931 $77,971 $80,734
Households that own their home 55% 76% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,557 $1,967 $3,311 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 2.01% 1.34% 1.3% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 57% 51% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Lawrence 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 New Castle

For a typical $77,400 home in New Castle, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, New Castle's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $711a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $2,709
    Cash to close
    $5,031
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $34

  • Conventional, 5% down $697a month

    Down payment
    $3,870
    Cash to close
    $6,192
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $37

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $581a month

    Down payment
    $15,480
    Cash to close
    $17,802
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $653a month

    Down payment
    $11,610
    Cash to close
    $13,932
    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 New Castle and for Lawrence County.

Property tax

Effective rate in New Castle

2.01%of the home’s value each year

$1,557 a year for the typical owner in New Castle.

  • New Castle 2.01%
  • Lawrence 1.34%
  • Pennsylvania 1.3%

What Pennsylvania publishes Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program (PTRR) (Pennsylvania Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Pennsylvania

Flood risk in Lawrence County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.6%
569
Of those, with NFIP insurance
15%
County Pennsylvania U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.6% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 15% 23% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in New Castle

Typical rent in New Castle is $741 a month: 11% below the county. In New Castle, 57% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Lawrence County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,095 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $21.06 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Lawrence 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 $763 $14.67 $30,520
1 bedroom $844 $16.23 $33,760
2 bedrooms $1,095 $21.06 $43,800
3 bedrooms $1,516 $29.15 $60,640
4 bedrooms $1,682 $32.35 $67,280

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 New Castle

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). New Castle has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,010 in 16101 to $1,210 in 16102.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Lawrence County ($1,095).

  • 16101 $1,010$1,410
  • 16102 $1,210$1,680

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for New Castle 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 New Castle

HUD lists 17 buildings with rents for lower incomes in New Castle. These are the largest.

  • Harbor Hts / Grant St. / Lincoln 202 W Lincoln Ave, New Castle 16101 199 low-income homes · Run by Housing Auth Co of Lawrence · Average payment: $226 a month · Average wait: 3 months (724) 656-5100
  • Skyview Towers 219 N Beaver St, New Castle 16101 212 homes, 190 low-income · Run by Housing Auth Co of Lawrence · Average payment: $299 a month · Average wait: 6 months (724) 656-5100
  • Oakleaf Gardens 1139 Pin Oak Dr, New Castle 16101 184 homes, 174 low-income · For families (724) 652-6632
  • Brinton/Sciota/Big Run 401 Neshannock Ave, New Castle 16101 171 low-income homes · Run by Housing Auth Co of Lawrence · Average payment: $364 a month · Average wait: 6 months · Homes at several sites (724) 656-5100
  • Lawrence Manor 211 W Moody Ave, New Castle 16101 150 homes, 129 low-income · Run by Housing Auth Co of Lawrence · Average payment: $361 a month · Average wait: 5 months (724) 656-5100

See all 21 buildings in Lawrence County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in New Castle

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.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Lawrence County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair where a girl is reading a book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in New Castle

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Pennsylvania

Housing counselors near New Castle

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

  • Don Services

    101 S Mercer St, New Castle · 0 miles away

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 3 more
    (724) 652-5144

  • Housing Opportunities, Inc.

    2418 Wilmington Rd, New Castle · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (724) 728-7511

  • Shenango Valley Urban League

    601 Indiana Ave, Farrell · 17 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Homelessness services
    • and 2 more
    (724) 981-5310

Every agency in Lawrence County All counseling agencies in Pennsylvania

Help in Spanish near New Castle

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 New Castle

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Lawrence County is named for New Castle or Lawrence County.

One other authority has an office in Lawrence County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Lawrence County

These cities are also in Lawrence County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Lawrence County Housing in Pennsylvania

Nearby cities

The cities closest to New Castle, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Lawrence 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 New Castle.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about New Castle

Short answers with the numbers for New Castle and all of Lawrence 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 New Castle?

The typical home value in New Castle is $77,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Lawrence County it is $147,200.

How much does it cost to rent in New Castle?

Typical rent in New Castle is $741 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Lawrence County is $1,095.

What is the FHA loan limit in New Castle?

New Castle uses the FHA limit for all of Lawrence 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 New Castle?

The typical homeowner in New Castle pays $1,557 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.01% of the home’s value; in Lawrence County, the rate is 1.34%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in New Castle?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Lawrence County. 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).