Department of Numbers

Somerset County Pennsylvania Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Somerset County PA was $600 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Somerset County was $557 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 Somerset County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

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

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Somerset 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%
Somerset County PA Median Gross Rent $600 -1.96% +3.27%

Somerset County PA Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Somerset County peaked in real terms in 2013 at $687 and is now $87 (12.66%) lower. Average gross rent for Somerset County peaked in real terms in 2013 at $621 and is now $64 (10.31%) lower.

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

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Somerset County

Date US
Median
Pennsylvania
Median
Somerset County PA
Median
Somerset County PA
Average
2019 $1,097 $951 $600 $557
2018 $1,077 $944 $612 $542
2017 $1,043 $921 $624 $578
2016 $1,027 $923 $581 $518
2015 $1,017 $921 $640 $590
2014 $986 $895 $637 $530
2013 $953 $872 $687 $621
2012 $940 $849 $544 $535
2011 $941 $849 $566 $494
2010 $955 $853 $608 $489
2009 $960 $841 $552 $484

more history ...

Somerset 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 Somerset County Pennsylvania was 4.62% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Somerset County Pennsylvania

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Pennsylvania 4.87% -0.42% -0.90%
Somerset County PA 4.62% -1.31% +0.20%

Trends in Somerset County PA Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Somerset County peaked in 2015 at 9.64%. Since then it has fallen by 5.02% to 4.62%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Somerset County PA, Pennsylvania, US

Rental vacancy rate in Pennsylvania

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Somerset County

Date US Pennsylvania Somerset County PA
2019 5.97% 4.87% 4.62%
2018 6.15% 5.29% 5.93%
2017 6.18% 5.84% 6.95%
2016 5.89% 5.77% 4.42%
2015 5.85% 5.77% 9.64%
2014 6.32% 6.40% 5.40%
2013 6.49% 5.78% 2.76%
2012 6.77% 5.88% 4.64%
2011 7.40% 6.13% 2.51%
2010 8.17% 6.47% 1.93%
2009 8.43% 6.80% 9.60%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Somerset County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Somerset County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 14.73% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Somerset 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%
Somerset County PA 14.73% +0.58% -0.46%

Trends in Somerset County PA Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Somerset County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2013 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.02%. Since then it has fallen by 3.29% to 14.73%.

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

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

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

Date US Pennsylvania Somerset County PA
2019 20.03% 17.98% 14.73%
2018 20.50% 18.26% 14.14%
2017 20.13% 18.10% 14.86%
2016 20.43% 18.58% 15.18%
2015 20.63% 18.70% 16.57%
2014 20.89% 19.12% 15.66%
2013 20.78% 19.11% 18.02%
2012 20.65% 18.69% 13.25%
2011 20.70% 18.78% 16.27%
2010 20.50% 18.58% 16.33%
2009 20.12% 17.88% 14.76%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Somerset County Pennsylvania

You can calculate the renter fraction in Somerset 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 Somerset County as a fraction of total Somerset County households. In 2019 21.47% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Somerset 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%
Somerset County PA 21.47% +0.66% -1.24%

Trends in the Somerset County PA Renter Fraction

The Somerset County household renter fraction peaked in in 2010 at 26.21% and is now 4.74% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

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

Fraction of renters in Somerset County

History of Somerset County Renter Fraction

Date US Pennsylvania Somerset County PA
2019 35.89% 31.59% 21.47%
2018 36.05% 31.40% 20.81%
2017 36.13% 31.70% 22.20%
2016 36.88% 31.50% 22.71%
2015 36.97% 31.28% 22.12%
2014 36.90% 31.17% 19.86%
2013 36.50% 31.05% 22.78%
2012 36.09% 31.09% 20.17%
2011 35.42% 30.51% 20.21%
2010 34.65% 29.87% 26.21%
2009 34.13% 29.48% 19.81%

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.