Housing decision brief
Sumter County, AL Housing Market
Sumter 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.
3rd lowest home value out of 67 Alabama counties with data | 33rd lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$82,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$775/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$556/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
36.7%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$219/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
$82,600 median home value is 47% below Alabama county median
Lower rent
$775/mo is At the Alabama county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $219/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$33,310 median income is 39% below Alabama county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.43% effective property-tax rate is 34% above Alabama county median
Health context
Health score is 22.3 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.
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 Sumter 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. | $82,600 | $156,600 | $281,900 | 47% favorable47% below Alabama county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $775 | $776 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Alabama county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $556 | $629 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below Alabama county median |
Median household income | $33,310 | $54,563 | $74,755 | 39% pressure39% below Alabama county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.43% | 0.32% | 1.02% | 34% pressure34% above Alabama county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 36.70% | 28.20% | N/A | 30% pressure36.70% 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
+$2,310
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$9,481
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Sumter County is moderately affordable. The median rent is $841/month against a median household income of $37,981, putting rent at 26.6% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Sumter County pay $841/month on average, compared to $540/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 36%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,640/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $23,143/year. With a median household income of $37,981, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 41.0% of renter households in Sumter County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Clarke County where rent averages $785/month, Sumter County is approximately 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowndes County, AL | $86,300 | $710/mo | Same-state comparison near $86,300 home value and $710/mo rent. |
| Dallas County, AL | $94,600 | $733/mo | Same-state comparison near $94,600 home value and $733/mo rent. |
| Bullock County, AL | $81,700 | $556/mo | Same-state comparison near $81,700 home value and $556/mo rent. |
| Wilcox County, AL | $98,800 | $745/mo | Same-state comparison near $98,800 home value and $745/mo rent. |
| Perry County, AL | $86,400 | $592/mo | Same-state comparison near $86,400 home value and $592/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Sumter County
Is Sumter County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Sumter County?
How much income do you need for housing in Sumter County?
What should I double-check before moving to Sumter County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.