Housing decision brief
Coffee County, AL Housing Market
Coffee County screens as a higher 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.
52nd lowest home value out of 67 Alabama counties with data | 56th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$180,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$970/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$871/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$99/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
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 $99/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.34% effective property-tax rate is 3% above Alabama county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 39.8 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
Poor Fit For
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Coffee 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. | $180,300 | $142,500 | $281,900 | 27% pressure27% above Alabama county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $970 | $762 | $1,163 | 27% pressure27% above Alabama county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $871 | $595 | $1,672 | 46% pressure46% above Alabama county median |
Median household income | $64,672 | $51,551 | $74,755 | 25% favorable25% above Alabama county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.34% | 0.33% | 1.02% | Near state median3% 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
+$25,872
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,343
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Coffee County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $970/month , about 18.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Coffee County pay $970/month on average, compared to $871/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 10%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,329/year. With a median household income of $64,672, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Coffee County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Alabama, Coffee County is less affordable than Mobile County by roughly 5% ($970/mo vs $1,021/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cullman County, AL | $180,500 | $883/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,500 home value and $883/mo rent. |
| Mobile County, AL | $176,600 | $1,021/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,600 home value and $1,021/mo rent. |
| Houston County, AL | $178,000 | $905/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,000 home value and $905/mo rent. |
| Morgan County, AL | $193,000 | $835/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,000 home value and $835/mo rent. |
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | $233,700 | $997/mo | Same-state comparison near $233,700 home value and $997/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Coffee County
Is Coffee County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Coffee County?
How much income do you need for housing in Coffee County?
What should I double-check before moving to Coffee County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.