Housing decision brief
Chilton County, AL Housing Market
Chilton County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
33rd lowest home value out of 67 Alabama counties with data | 49th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$142,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$855/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$654/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$201/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
$142,300 median home value is At the Alabama county median
Rent burden below pressure line
21.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $201/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.34% effective property-tax rate is 2% above Alabama county median
Health context
Health score is 31.1 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Chilton 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. | $142,300 | $142,500 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Alabama county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $855 | $762 | $1,163 | 12% pressure12% above Alabama county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $654 | $595 | $1,672 | 10% pressure10% above Alabama county median |
Median household income | $61,873 | $51,551 | $74,755 | 20% favorable20% above Alabama county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.34% | 0.33% | 1.02% | Near state median2% above Alabama county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 22% favorable21.00% 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
+$27,673
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$33,844
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Chilton County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $855/month , about 16.6% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Chilton County pay $855/month on average, compared to $654/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 24%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,200/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $28,029/year. With a median household income of $61,873, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 21.0% of renter households in Chilton County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Chilton County sits 6% more expensive than Calhoun County ($804/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County, AL | $147,800 | $770/mo | Same-state comparison near $147,800 home value and $770/mo rent. |
| Calhoun County, AL | $149,500 | $804/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,500 home value and $804/mo rent. |
| Talladega County, AL | $137,900 | $772/mo | Same-state comparison near $137,900 home value and $772/mo rent. |
| Colbert County, AL | $161,600 | $838/mo | Same-state comparison near $161,600 home value and $838/mo rent. |
| Cleburne County, AL | $144,200 | $792/mo | Same-state comparison near $144,200 home value and $792/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Chilton County
Is Chilton County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Chilton County?
How much income do you need for housing in Chilton County?
What should I double-check before moving to Chilton County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.