Housing decision brief
Barbour County, AL Housing Market
Barbour County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
14th lowest home value out of 67 Alabama counties with data | 10th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$109,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$644/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$632/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$12/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$109,900 median home value is 23% below Alabama county median
Lower rent
$644/mo is 15% below Alabama county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $12/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$44,290 median income is 14% below Alabama county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.38% effective property-tax rate is 14% above Alabama county median
Health context
Health score is 20.0 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Barbour County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $109,900 | $142,500 | $281,900 | 23% favorable23% below Alabama county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $644 | $762 | $1,163 | 15% favorable15% below Alabama county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $632 | $595 | $1,672 | 6% pressure6% above Alabama county median |
Median household income | $44,290 | $51,551 | $74,755 | 14% pressure14% below Alabama county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.38% | 0.33% | 1.02% | 14% pressure14% above Alabama county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 7% favorable25.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$18,530
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$17,204
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Barbour County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $644/month representing approximately 17.4% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 25.0%.
Rent vs own
At $644/month rent versus $632/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $12/month cheaper , a 2% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $25,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,086/year. With a median household income of $44,290, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Barbour County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Barbour County sits 8% less expensive than Wilcox County ($699/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choctaw County, AL | $111,800 | $653/mo | Same-state comparison near $111,800 home value and $653/mo rent. |
| Crenshaw County, AL | $108,400 | $664/mo | Same-state comparison near $108,400 home value and $664/mo rent. |
| Marengo County, AL | $103,400 | $722/mo | Same-state comparison near $103,400 home value and $722/mo rent. |
| Escambia County, AL | $122,700 | $709/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,700 home value and $709/mo rent. |
| Butler County, AL | $99,700 | $722/mo | Same-state comparison near $99,700 home value and $722/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Barbour County
Is Barbour County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Barbour County?
How much income do you need for housing in Barbour County?
What should I double-check before moving to Barbour County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.