Housing decision brief
Greene County, AL Housing Market
Greene 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.
1st lowest home value out of 67 Alabama counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$81,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$432/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$445/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
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$13/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $23,211 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$81,200 median home value is 48% below Alabama county median
Lower rent
$432/mo is 44% below Alabama county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$29,200 median income is 46% below Alabama county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.55% effective property-tax rate is 69% above Alabama county median
Health context
Health score is 20.3 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $23,211, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- 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 Greene 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. | $81,200 | $156,600 | $281,900 | 48% favorable48% below Alabama county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $432 | $776 | $1,163 | 44% favorable44% below Alabama county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $445 | $629 | $1,672 | 29% favorable29% below Alabama county median |
Median household income | $29,200 | $54,563 | $74,755 | 46% pressure46% below Alabama county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.55% | 0.32% | 1.02% | 69% pressure69% above Alabama county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 28.20% | N/A | 6% pressure30.00% 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
+$11,920
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$10,129
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Greene County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $429/month in gross rent, with 25.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Greene County is $429/month, while owner costs run $461/month. Renting saves approximately $32/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $17,160/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $19,757/year. With a median household income of $31,495, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Greene County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lamar County where rent averages $548/month, Greene County is approximately 22% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullock County, AL | $81,700 | $556/mo | Same-state comparison near $81,700 home value and $556/mo rent. |
| Wolfe County, KY | $75,800 | $501/mo | Out-of-state peer near $75,800 home value and $501/mo rent. |
| Perry County, AL | $86,400 | $592/mo | Same-state comparison near $86,400 home value and $592/mo rent. |
| Jefferson County, MS | $81,300 | $448/mo | Out-of-state peer near $81,300 home value and $448/mo rent. |
| Owsley County, KY | $80,100 | $448/mo | Out-of-state peer near $80,100 home value and $448/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $23,211 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Greene County
Is Greene County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Greene County?
How much income do you need for housing in Greene County?
What should I double-check before moving to Greene County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.