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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Sterling, OH Housing Affordability Index

Sterling, Ohio has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 142.6 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 422nd most affordable of 981 scored Ohio cities, compared with 112.1 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $177,000 home with 20% down, the Ohio average 30-year fixed rate of 7.29% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $970, or 19% of the city’s $61,250 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Sterling is updated every night from live Ohio mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Sterling MBR-HAI 142.6 Highly Affordable
Rank in Ohio 422 of 981 1 = most affordable
Ohio 112.1 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.29% Ohio lenders
Median home value $177,000 U.S. Census Bureau

Sterling is 30.5 points above the Ohio score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Ohio index

View Sterling Mortgage Rates

See What You Can Afford in Sterling, Ohio

Use this Sterling, Ohio home affordability calculator to see how much house you can afford at today’s Ohio average 30-year mortgage rate of 7.29%. A household earning the Sterling median income of $61,250, with no other debts and $35,000 down, can afford a home of about $203,303, compared with a median home value of $177,000. Buying the median priced home with 20% down takes a household income of about $49,300 once property tax and insurance are counted.

Sterling median (Census)
Car, student loan, card minimums
Under 20% adds PMI
Ohio average, 30-year fixed
Sterling median bill (Census)
Estimate; use your quote
You can afford a home up to
$203,303
At or above the Sterling median home value of $177,000
Loan amount$168,303
Principal & interest$1,152/mo
Property tax$122/mo
Home insurance$85/mo
PMI$70/mo
Total monthly payment$1,429/mo
Compare Sterling Mortgage Rates

How much house can you afford in Sterling?

Most lenders use two limits. Your housing payment, including principal, interest, property tax, homeowners insurance and any PMI, should stay under about 28% of your gross monthly income, and all of your monthly debt payments together should stay under about 36%. The calculator takes whichever limit is lower, then works backward from that payment to the most expensive home it covers at the current rate.

In Sterling, property taxes run about 0.72% of a home’s value each year, based on the Census median tax bill, which counts against the same monthly budget as the mortgage. Each quarter point move in mortgage rates changes the price you can afford by roughly $3,398 for a median income household. A larger down payment, paying down other debts, or a lower rate from a local lender all raise your budget.

What It Takes to Buy in Sterling

$970/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.29%
$41,600
Income Needed
To keep principal and interest at 28% of income
$61,250
Median Household Income
Ohio: $71,389
2.9x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Ohio: 3.0x
$740/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,279/yr
Median Property Tax
0.72% of median value
7.1%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
43.8%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Sterling, Ohio. The rate is the Ohio average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Sterling Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Sterling, Ohio score: 142.6 (Highly Affordable), ranked 422 of 981 Ohio cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/ohio/sterling”