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City · 9,617 residents · Northumberland County, Pennsylvania

Sunbury , Pennsylvania

In Sunbury, a typical home is worth $107,200 and typical rent is $738 a month. Compared with all of Northumberland County, the typical home value is 34% lower, typical household income is 16% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 19 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $107,200

    34% below the county

    58% below Pennsylvania

    • Sunbury
    • Northumberland
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical rent

    $738a month

    8% below the county

    39% below Pennsylvania

    • Sunbury
    • Northumberland
    • Pennsylvania

  • Typical household income

    $51,028a year

    16% below the county

    35% below Pennsylvania

    • Sunbury
    • Northumberland
    • Pennsylvania

  • Households that own their home

    57%

    19 points below the county

    13 points below Pennsylvania

    • Sunbury
    • Northumberland
    • Pennsylvania

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$190,245
2.2% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$900 a month

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

Sunbury is in Northumberland 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 Northumberland County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Sunbury apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Shamokin, the typical home value is $60,400: 44% less than in Sunbury ($107,200).

  2. 57% of households in Sunbury own their home, against 75% in Northumberland County.

  3. Sunbury has the 12th lowest typical rent of the 265 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people ($738).

  4. The typical home in Sunbury is worth $107,200, 34% less than in Northumberland County as a whole ($162,400).

  5. The typical household income in Sunbury is $51,028, 16% less than in Northumberland County as a whole ($60,583).

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

The homes here

Housing in Sunbury

What homes there are in Sunbury, 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 Sunbury, 5 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Northumberland County, 6.

Year built

Old homes abound here: at least half date from before 1940, and 70% were built before 1960.

There are fewer big homes in Sunbury than in Northumberland County: 60% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 69%.

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 Sunbury cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,014): about 83%.

With a mortgage

$1,101 a month

Northumberland County: $1,300 a month

Without a mortgage

$419 a month

Northumberland County: $537 a month

Owners with a mortgage

61%

Northumberland County: 51%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Sunbury is $1,101 a month, less than in Northumberland County ($1,300); without one, $419.

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 Sunbury rose 32%; in Northumberland County, it rose 38%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Sunbury rose 14%, less than in Northumberland County (22%).

Income in Sunbury grew faster than housing: it rose 47%, while home values changed +32% and rent +14%.

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

MeasureSunburyNorthumberland CountyPennsylvaniaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate6.1%4.9%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.2%0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate0.9%1.6%3.4%
People per household 2.152.292.392.53
Drive alone 74%76%68%69%
Carpool 12%9%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate4%3%
Walk or bike 5%4%4%3%
Work from home 9%10%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.15 on average, against 2.29 in Northumberland County.

In Sunbury, 12% of workers share a car to get to work; in Northumberland County, 9%.

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 Sunbury?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Sunbury, worth $107,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 22% of the typical household income in Sunbury, which is $51,028 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Sunbury. 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 $3,752 (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

$926

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$105,258
Total interest
$151,442
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,810 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,191 a month

    Your payment · 22%

  • Tight

    $1,191 to $1,531 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,531 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Sunbury ($51,028 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$926
Principal & interest$713
Property tax$121
Home insurance$45
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$47

You need at least $3,752 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

Sunbury and Northumberland County

Sunbury is in Northumberland 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).

Sunbury's own numbers

Typical home value
$107,200
Typical monthly rent
$738
Typical yearly household income
$51,028
Households that own their home
57%
Effective property tax rate
1.35%

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

Numbers for all of Northumberland County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,014
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+46%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.8%

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 Northumberland County.

Everything about Northumberland County

Buying

Buying a home in Sunbury

A typical home in Sunbury is worth $107,200: 34% below the county and 58% below Pennsylvania. With the typical household income in Sunbury ($51,028 a year), a typical home costs 2.1 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.

  • Sunbury 2.1 years
  • Northumberland 2.7 years
  • Pennsylvania 3.3 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Northumberland County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Northumberland County rose 63% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Pennsylvania U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.3% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +46% +48% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +63% +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

Sunbury next to Northumberland 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
  • Sunbury $107,200
  • Northumberland $162,400
  • Pennsylvania $254,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Sunbury $738
  • Northumberland $806
  • Pennsylvania $1,209
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Sunbury $51,028
  • Northumberland $60,583
  • Pennsylvania $77,971
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Sunbury next to Northumberland County and Pennsylvania
Measure Sunbury Northumberland County Pennsylvania U.S.
Typical home value $107,200 $162,400 $254,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $738 $806 $1,209 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $51,028 $60,583 $77,971 $80,734
Households that own their home 57% 75% 69% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,444 $1,794 $3,311 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.35% 1.1% 1.3% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 42% 43% 48% 51%

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

For a typical $107,200 home in Sunbury, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Sunbury's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $926a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,752
    Cash to close
    $6,968
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $47

  • Conventional, 5% down $906a month

    Down payment
    $5,360
    Cash to close
    $8,576
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $51

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $746a month

    Down payment
    $21,440
    Cash to close
    $24,656
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $845a month

    Down payment
    $16,080
    Cash to close
    $19,296
    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 Sunbury and for Northumberland County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Sunbury

1.35%of the home’s value each year

$1,444 a year for the typical owner in Sunbury.

  • Sunbury 1.35%
  • Northumberland 1.1%
  • Pennsylvania 1.3%

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Pennsylvania

Flood risk in Northumberland County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
4.8%
1,692
Of those, with NFIP insurance
15%
County Pennsylvania U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4.8% 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 Sunbury

Typical rent in Sunbury is $738 a month: 8% below the county. In Sunbury, 42% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Northumberland County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,014 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.50 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Northumberland 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 $729 $14.02 $29,160
1 bedroom $899 $17.29 $35,960
2 bedrooms $1,014 $19.50 $40,560
3 bedrooms $1,320 $25.38 $52,800
4 bedrooms $1,408 $27.08 $56,320

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 Sunbury

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Sunbury is in ZIP code 17801.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,010: $4 less than the fair market rent for Northumberland County ($1,014).

  • 17801 $1,010$1,330

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

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Sunbury. These are the largest.

  • River Front Apartments 130 S Front St, Sunbury 17801 200 homes, 199 low-income · For older adults (570) 286-7707
  • Scott Tower/Chestnut Tower 705 Market St, Sunbury 17801 223 homes, 179 low-income · Run by Sunbury Housing Authority · Average payment: $417 a month · Average wait: 2 months (570) 286-8563
  • Memorial Acres 16 Memorial Acres, Sunbury 17801 128 low-income homes · Run by Sunbury Housing Authority · Average payment: $491 a month · Average wait: 15 months (570) 286-8563
  • Shikellamy Homes 631 N 7th St, Sunbury 17801 34 homes, 25 low-income · For families (570) 988-1214

See all 17 buildings in Northumberland County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Sunbury

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 Northumberland 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 Sunbury

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

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Pennsylvania

Housing counselors near Sunbury

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

  • Schuylkill Community Action

    225 N Centre St, Pottsville · 33 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 5 more
    (570) 622-1995

  • The Fair Housing Council of the Capital Region, Inc

    2100 N 6th St, Harrisburg · 41 miles away

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

  • Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

    211 North Front Street, Harrisburg · 42 miles away · Spanish

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

All counseling agencies in Pennsylvania

Help in Spanish near Sunbury

2 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 Sunbury

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

  • Sunbury Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (570) 286-8563
  • Housing Auth of the County of Northumberland Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (570) 742-8797

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

Cities

Other cities in Northumberland County

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

Everything about Northumberland County Housing in Pennsylvania

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Northumberland 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 Sunbury.

All guides
Three women of one family talk as they cook vegetables in the kitchen.

Questions

Housing questions about Sunbury

Short answers with the numbers for Sunbury and all of Northumberland 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 Sunbury?

The typical home value in Sunbury is $107,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Northumberland County it is $162,400.

How much does it cost to rent in Sunbury?

Typical rent in Sunbury is $738 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Northumberland County is $1,014.

What is the FHA loan limit in Sunbury?

Sunbury uses the FHA limit for all of Northumberland 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 Sunbury?

The typical homeowner in Sunbury pays $1,444 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.35% of the home’s value; in Northumberland County, the rate is 1.1%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Northumberland 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).