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City · 6,890 residents · Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Rutherford , Pennsylvania

In Rutherford, a typical home is worth $214,200 and typical rent is $1,155 a month. Compared with all of Dauphin County, typical household income is 10% higher, the typical home value is 9% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $214,200

    9% below the county

    16% below Pennsylvania

    • Rutherford
    • Dauphin
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical rent

    $1,155a month

    5% below the county

    4% below Pennsylvania

    • Rutherford
    • Dauphin
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical household income

    $83,636a year

    10% above the county

    7% above Pennsylvania

    • Rutherford
    • Dauphin
    • Pennsylvania

  • Households that own their home

    75%

    12 points above the county

    6 points above Pennsylvania

    • Rutherford
    • Dauphin
    • Pennsylvania

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

Rutherford is in Dauphin 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 Dauphin County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Rutherford apart

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

  1. Rutherford has the 9th largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 232 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people (69%).

  2. Nearby, in Steelton, the typical home value is $134,800: 37% less than in Rutherford ($214,200).

  3. 75% of households in Rutherford own their home, against 63% in Dauphin County.

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

The homes here

Housing in Rutherford

What homes there are in Rutherford, 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

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 56% of homes here, against 50% in Dauphin County.

Year built

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

With a mortgage

$1,456 a month

Dauphin County: $1,660 a month

Without a mortgage

$630 a month

Dauphin County: $664 a month

Owners with a mortgage

79%

Dauphin County: 62%

In Rutherford, 79% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,456 a month, against $1,660 in Dauphin County. Without one it drops to $630.

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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Rutherford rose 46%; in Dauphin County, it rose 41%.

Rent in Rutherford 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

MeasureRutherfordDauphin CountyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.2%4.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.7%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.7%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.822.332.392.53
Drive alone 80%69%68%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate8%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%4%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%4%3%
Work from home 17%17%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

On average, a household in Rutherford has 2.82 people, more than in Dauphin County (2.33).

To get to work, 80% of workers in Rutherford drive alone; in Dauphin County, 69%.

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 Rutherford?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Rutherford, worth $214,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 26% of the typical household income in Rutherford, which is $83,636 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Rutherford. 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 $7,497 (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

$1,832

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$210,320
Total interest
$302,602
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,617 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,952 a month

    Your payment · 26%

  • Tight

    $1,952 to $2,509 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,509 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Rutherford ($83,636 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,832
Principal & interest$1,425
Property tax$223
Home insurance$89
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$95

You need at least $7,497 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

Rutherford and Dauphin County

Rutherford is in Dauphin 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).

Rutherford's own numbers

Typical home value
$214,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,155
Typical yearly household income
$83,636
Households that own their home
75%
Effective property tax rate
1.25%

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

Numbers for all of Dauphin County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,598
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+54%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3.5%

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 Dauphin County.

Everything about Dauphin County

Buying

Buying a home in Rutherford

A typical home in Rutherford is worth $214,200: 9% below the county and 16% below Pennsylvania. With the typical household income in Rutherford ($83,636 a year), a typical home costs 2.6 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.

  • Rutherford 2.6 years
  • Dauphin 3.1 years
  • Pennsylvania 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Dauphin County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Dauphin County rose 79% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Pennsylvania U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.2% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +54% +48% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +79% +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

Rutherford next to Dauphin 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
  • Rutherford $214,200
  • Dauphin $236,400
  • Pennsylvania $254,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Rutherford $1,155
  • Dauphin $1,217
  • Pennsylvania $1,209
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Rutherford $83,636
  • Dauphin $76,242
  • Pennsylvania $77,971
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Rutherford next to Dauphin County and Pennsylvania
Measure Rutherford Dauphin County Pennsylvania U.S.
Typical home value $214,200 $236,400 $254,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,155 $1,217 $1,209 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $83,636 $76,242 $77,971 $80,734
Households that own their home 75% 63% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,685 $3,198 $3,311 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.25% 1.35% 1.3% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 69% 45% 48% 51%

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

For a typical $214,200 home in Rutherford, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Rutherford's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,832a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,497
    Cash to close
    $13,923
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $95

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,793a month

    Down payment
    $10,710
    Cash to close
    $17,136
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $102

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,473a month

    Down payment
    $42,840
    Cash to close
    $49,266
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,671a month

    Down payment
    $32,130
    Cash to close
    $38,556
    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 Rutherford and for Dauphin County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Rutherford

1.25%of the home’s value each year

$2,685 a year for the typical owner in Rutherford.

  • Rutherford 1.25%
  • Dauphin 1.35%
  • Pennsylvania 1.3%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Pennsylvania

Flood risk in Dauphin County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
3.5%
3,368
Of those, with NFIP insurance
26%
County Pennsylvania U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3.5% 2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 26% 23% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Rutherford

Typical rent in Rutherford is $1,155 a month: 5% below the county. In Rutherford, 69% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Dauphin County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,598 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $30.73 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Dauphin 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 $1,166 $22.42 $46,640
1 bedroom $1,285 $24.71 $51,400
2 bedrooms $1,598 $30.73 $63,920
3 bedrooms $2,055 $39.52 $82,200
4 bedrooms $2,100 $40.38 $84,000

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 Rutherford

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Rutherford is in ZIP code 17111.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,780: $182 more than the fair market rent for Dauphin County ($1,598).

  • 17111 $1,780$2,290

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Rutherford 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?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Rutherford

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 3 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Dauphin County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Rutherford

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Pennsylvania

Housing counselors near Rutherford

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

  • Tri-County HDC LTD

    201 N Front St, Harrisburg · 6 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (717) 231-3604

  • Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

    211 North Front Street, Harrisburg · 6 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 11 more
    (800) 342-2397

  • The Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region, Inc

    2100 N 6th St, Harrisburg · 7 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (717) 238-9540

Every agency in Dauphin County All counseling agencies in Pennsylvania

Help in Spanish near Rutherford

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Rutherford

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

  • Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (717) 939-9301

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

Cities

Other cities in Dauphin County

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

Everything about Dauphin County Housing in Pennsylvania

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Rutherford, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Dauphin 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 Rutherford.

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

Questions

Housing questions about Rutherford

Short answers with the numbers for Rutherford and all of Dauphin 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 Rutherford?

The typical home value in Rutherford is $214,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Dauphin County it is $236,400.

How much does it cost to rent in Rutherford?

Typical rent in Rutherford is $1,155 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Dauphin County is $1,598.

What is the FHA loan limit in Rutherford?

Rutherford uses the FHA limit for all of Dauphin 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 Rutherford?

The typical homeowner in Rutherford pays $2,685 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.25% of the home’s value; in Dauphin County, the rate is 1.35%.

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

There are 3 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Dauphin County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. 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).