Housing decision brief
Lowndes County, AL Housing Market
Lowndes 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.
2nd lowest home value out of 67 Alabama counties with data | 13th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$80,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$663/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$686/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
35.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$23/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$80,600 median home value is 43% below Alabama county median
Lower rent
$663/mo is 13% below Alabama county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$35,160 median income is 32% below Alabama county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.41% effective property-tax rate is 24% above Alabama county median
Health context
Health score is 18.9 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
- 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 Lowndes 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. | $80,600 | $142,500 | $281,900 | 43% favorable43% below Alabama county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $663 | $762 | $1,163 | 13% favorable13% below Alabama county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $686 | $595 | $1,672 | 15% pressure15% above Alabama county median |
Median household income | $35,160 | $51,551 | $74,755 | 32% pressure32% below Alabama county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.41% | 0.33% | 1.02% | 24% pressure24% above Alabama county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 35.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 30% pressure35.00% 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
+$8,640
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$5,760
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Lowndes County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $663/month , about 22.6% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Lowndes County pay $663/month on average, compared to $686/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 3%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $26,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,400/year. With a median household income of $35,160, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 35.0% of renter households in Lowndes County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Perry County where rent averages $610/month, Lowndes County is approximately 9% more 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 | $79,400 | $635/mo | Same-state comparison near $79,400 home value and $635/mo rent. |
| Perry County, AL | $87,700 | $610/mo | Same-state comparison near $87,700 home value and $610/mo rent. |
| Wilcox County, AL | $84,200 | $699/mo | Same-state comparison near $84,200 home value and $699/mo rent. |
| Dallas County, AL | $97,400 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $97,400 home value and $749/mo rent. |
| Sumter County, AL | $84,100 | $841/mo | Same-state comparison near $84,100 home value and $841/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lowndes County
Is Lowndes County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lowndes County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lowndes County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lowndes County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.