Housing decision brief
Copper River Census Area, AK Housing Market
Copper River Census Area screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable 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.
12th lowest home value out of 30 Alaska counties with data | 7th lowest rent out of 30
Median home value
$246,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$973/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$671/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
17.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$302/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
Clean
No major county-specific caveat detected.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$246,700 median home value is 10% below Alaska county median
Lower rent
$973/mo is 22% below Alaska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
17.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $302/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$75,053 median income is 4% below Alaska county median
Health context
Health score is 43.8 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Best Fit For
- 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
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Copper River Census Area 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. | $246,700 | $274,050 | $281,900 | 10% favorable10% below Alaska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $973 | $1,243 | $1,163 | 22% favorable22% below Alaska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $671 | $772 | $1,672 | 13% favorable13% below Alaska county median |
Median household income | $75,053 | $78,158 | $74,755 | Near state median4% below Alaska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.08% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 92% favorable92% below Alaska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 17.00% | 23.00% | N/A | 26% favorable17.00% 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
+$36,133
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$46,296
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Copper River Census Area is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $973/month representing approximately 15.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 17.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Copper River Census Area pay $973/month on average, compared to $671/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 31%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $28,757/year. With a median household income of $75,053, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 17.0% of renter households in Copper River Census Area are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Copper River Census Area sits 6% more expensive than Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area ($915/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denali Borough, AK | $262,000 | $938/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,000 home value and $938/mo rent. |
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK | $278,300 | $986/mo | Same-state comparison near $278,300 home value and $986/mo rent. |
| Haines Borough, AK | $318,900 | $914/mo | Same-state comparison near $318,900 home value and $914/mo rent. |
| Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK | $262,800 | $1,304/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,800 home value and $1,304/mo rent. |
| Jessamine County, KY | $245,100 | $994/mo | Out-of-state peer near $245,100 home value and $994/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- No major county-specific data caveat was detected in the current housing fields.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Copper River Census Area
Is Copper River Census Area affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Copper River Census Area?
How much income do you need for housing in Copper River Census Area?
What should I double-check before moving to Copper River Census Area?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.