Housing decision brief
Graham County, AZ Housing Market
Graham County 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.
6th lowest home value out of 15 Arizona counties with data | 6th lowest rent out of 15
Median home value
$202,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$890/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$965/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.0x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$75/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
$202,700 median home value is 6% below Arizona county median
Lower rent
$890/mo is 9% below Arizona county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 33.1 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Graham 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. | $202,700 | $216,100 | $281,900 | 6% favorable6% below Arizona county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $890 | $983 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Arizona county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $965 | $851 | $1,672 | 13% pressure13% above Arizona county median |
Median household income | $67,326 | $60,417 | $74,755 | 11% favorable11% above Arizona county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.54% | 0.54% | 1.02% | Near state medianAt the Arizona county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 18% favorable23.00% 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
+$31,726
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,969
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 Graham County is affordable. The median rent is $890/month against a median household income of $67,326, putting rent at 15.9% of income.
Rent vs own
At $890/month rent versus $965/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $75/month cheaper , a 8% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $35,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,357/year. With a median household income of $67,326, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Graham County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Navajo County where rent averages $832/month, Graham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cochise County, AZ | $207,400 | $939/mo | Same-state comparison near $207,400 home value and $939/mo rent. |
| Yuma County, AZ | $195,700 | $983/mo | Same-state comparison near $195,700 home value and $983/mo rent. |
| Snyder County, PA | $205,500 | $890/mo | Out-of-state peer near $205,500 home value and $890/mo rent. |
| Clark County, KY | $197,900 | $883/mo | Out-of-state peer near $197,900 home value and $883/mo rent. |
| Otsego County, MI | $196,500 | $880/mo | Out-of-state peer near $196,500 home value and $880/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Graham County
Is Graham County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Graham County?
How much income do you need for housing in Graham County?
What should I double-check before moving to Graham County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.