Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a city with a rich industrial history, has experienced significant shifts in its housing market over the past decade. Located in Cambria County with a zip code of 15901, this 6.13 square mile city has seen notable changes in homeownership rates, average home prices, and average rent prices. The homeownership rate in Johnstown has fluctuated, starting at 50% in 2013, dropping to 46% in 2018, and then rising to 52% by 2022. This trend coincides with changes in average home prices, which declined from $118,660 in 2010 to a low of $66,746 in 2017, before rebounding to $108,352 in 2022, marking a 62% increase from the 2017 low.

Federal interest rates have likely influenced these homeownership patterns. The period of extremely low interest rates from 2009 to 2015 (0.08% to 0.18%) may have contributed to stable homeownership rates during that time. As interest rates began to rise more significantly from 2017 onwards, reaching 1.83% in 2018, a dip in homeownership was observed. However, the subsequent increase in homeownership despite rising interest rates suggests other local economic factors may be at play.

Rental trends in Johnstown have shown an inverse relationship to homeownership. The percentage of renters increased from 50% in 2013 to a peak of 54% in 2018, before declining to 48% in 2022. Average rent prices have generally trended upward, rising from $545 in 2013 to $590 in 2022, an 8.3% increase. This rise in rent prices, coupled with the city's declining population (from 20,717 in 2013 to 18,421 in 2022), suggests a tightening rental market despite the overall population decrease.