Department of Numbers

Mercer County Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Mercer County PA was $686 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Mercer County was $619 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Mercer County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Mercer County rental vacancy rates, Mercer County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Mercer County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Mercer County Pennsylvania (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Pennsylvania Median Gross Rent $951 +0.74% +3.03%
Mercer County PA Median Gross Rent $686 +4.57% -6.79%

Mercer County PA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Mercer County peaked in real terms in 2016 at $736 and is now $50 (6.79%) lower. Average gross rent for Mercer County peaked in real terms in 2005 at $689 and is now $70 (10.16%) lower. From a recent low of 565.0 in 2012, real average gross rent has now increased by $54 (9.56%).

Real Gross Rent: Mercer County PA Median, Mercer County PA Average, Pennsylvania Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Mercer County

Date US
Median
Pennsylvania
Median
Mercer County PA
Median
Mercer County PA
Average
2019 $1,097 $951 $686 $619
2018 $1,077 $944 $656 $624
2017 $1,043 $921 $668 $611
2016 $1,027 $923 $736 $668
2015 $1,017 $921 $701 $628
2014 $986 $895 $677 $621
2013 $953 $872 $675 $613
2012 $940 $849 $627 $565
2011 $941 $849 $629 $566
2010 $955 $853 $626 $605
2009 $960 $841 $677 $611

more history ...

Mercer County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Mercer County Pennsylvania was 5.79% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Mercer County Pennsylvania

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Pennsylvania 4.87% -0.42% -0.90%
Mercer County PA 5.79% +4.39% +2.85%

Trends in Mercer County PA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Mercer County peaked in 2009 at 11.36%. Since then it has fallen by 5.57% to 5.79%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2017 post peak low of 1.01%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 4.78%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Mercer County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Rental vacancy rate in Pennsylvania

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Mercer County

Date US Pennsylvania Mercer County PA
2019 5.97% 4.87% 5.79%
2018 6.15% 5.29% 1.40%
2017 6.18% 5.84% 1.01%
2016 5.89% 5.77% 2.94%
2015 5.85% 5.77% 5.67%
2014 6.32% 6.40% 9.48%
2013 6.49% 5.78% 10.61%
2012 6.77% 5.88% 6.44%
2011 7.40% 6.13%
2010 8.17% 6.47% 8.63%
2009 8.43% 6.80% 11.36%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Mercer County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Mercer County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 15.09% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Mercer County Pennsylvania Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Pennsylvania 17.98% -0.28% -0.60%
Mercer County PA 15.09% -0.73% -1.82%

Trends in Mercer County PA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Mercer County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 17.65%. Since then it has fallen by 2.56% to 15.09%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Mercer County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Mercer County Pennsylvania

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Mercer County Pennsylvania

Date US Pennsylvania Mercer County PA
2019 20.03% 17.98% 15.09%
2018 20.50% 18.26% 15.82%
2017 20.13% 18.10% 16.62%
2016 20.43% 18.58% 16.91%
2015 20.63% 18.70% 16.86%
2014 20.89% 19.12% 17.65%
2013 20.78% 19.11% 17.39%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 16.79%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 16.77%
2010 20.50% 18.58% 16.63%
2009 20.12% 17.88% 16.41%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Mercer County Pennsylvania

You can calculate the renter fraction in Mercer County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Mercer County as a fraction of total Mercer County households. In 2019 27.90% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Mercer County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Pennsylvania 31.59% +0.19% +0.09%
Mercer County PA 27.90% -1.19% +0.83%

Trends in the Mercer County PA Renter Fraction

The Mercer County household renter fraction peaked in in 2017 at 29.43% and is now 1.53% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Mercer County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Fraction of renters in Mercer County

History of Mercer County Renter Fraction

Date US Pennsylvania Mercer County PA
2019 35.89% 31.59% 27.90%
2018 36.05% 31.40% 29.09%
2017 36.13% 31.70% 29.43%
2016 36.88% 31.50% 27.07%
2015 36.97% 31.28% 26.05%
2014 36.90% 31.17% 26.67%
2013 36.50% 31.05% 26.97%
2012 36.09% 31.09% 26.58%
2011 35.42% 30.51% 25.87%
2010 34.65% 29.87% 25.83%
2009 34.13% 29.48% 27.43%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.