Housing decision brief
Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK Housing Market
Prince of Wales-Hyder 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.
11th lowest home value out of 30 Alaska counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 30
Median home value
$221,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$915/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$545/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$370/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
$221,800 median home value is 19% below Alaska county median
Lower rent
$915/mo is 26% below Alaska county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $370/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 99.1 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$59,079 median income is 24% below Alaska county median
Health context
Health score is 21.2 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- 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 Prince of Wales-Hyder 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. | $221,800 | $274,050 | $281,900 | 19% favorable19% below Alaska county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $915 | $1,243 | $1,163 | 26% favorable26% below Alaska county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $545 | $772 | $1,672 | 29% favorable29% below Alaska county median |
Median household income | $59,079 | $78,158 | $74,755 | 24% pressure24% below Alaska county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.47% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 53% favorable53% below Alaska county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.00% | 23.00% | N/A | Near state median23.00% 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
+$22,479
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$35,722
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 Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $915/month in gross rent, with 23.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $915/month rent versus $545/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $370/month cheaper , a 40% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $23,357/year. With a median household income of $59,079, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Copper River Census Area where rent averages $973/month, Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area is approximately 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK | $278,300 | $986/mo | Same-state comparison near $278,300 home value and $986/mo rent. |
| Kit Carson County, CO | $221,400 | $916/mo | Out-of-state peer near $221,400 home value and $916/mo rent. |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK | $166,100 | $933/mo | Same-state comparison near $166,100 home value and $933/mo rent. |
| Pickens County, SC | $216,000 | $936/mo | Out-of-state peer near $216,000 home value and $936/mo rent. |
| Copper River Census Area, AK | $246,700 | $973/mo | Same-state comparison near $246,700 home value and $973/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area
Is Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area?
How much income do you need for housing in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area?
What should I double-check before moving to Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.