Housing decision brief
Rio Blanco County, CO Housing Market
Rio Blanco 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.
21st lowest home value out of 64 Colorado counties with data | 19th lowest rent out of 64
Median home value
$243,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$924/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,043/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$119/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
$243,400 median home value is 32% below Colorado county median
Lower rent
$924/mo is 17% below Colorado county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.34% effective property-tax rate is No Colorado county median comparison available
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
- 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 Rio Blanco 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. | $243,400 | $358,350 | $281,900 | 32% favorable32% below Colorado county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $924 | $1,110 | $1,163 | 17% favorable17% below Colorado county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,043 | $1,007 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above Colorado county median |
Median household income | $72,620 | $71,230 | $74,755 | Near state median2% above Colorado county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.34% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Colorado county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 7% favorable27.00% 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
+$35,660
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,920
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Rio Blanco County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $924/month , about 15.3% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Rio Blanco County pay $924/month on average, compared to $1,043/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 11%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,960/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $44,700/year. With a median household income of $72,620, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Rio Blanco County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Crowley County where rent averages $976/month, Rio Blanco County is approximately 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moffat County, CO | $262,500 | $1,051/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,500 home value and $1,051/mo rent. |
| Phillips County, CO | $255,300 | $947/mo | Same-state comparison near $255,300 home value and $947/mo rent. |
| Washington County, CO | $218,300 | $991/mo | Same-state comparison near $218,300 home value and $991/mo rent. |
| Kit Carson County, CO | $221,400 | $916/mo | Same-state comparison near $221,400 home value and $916/mo rent. |
| Yuma County, CO | $215,600 | $897/mo | Same-state comparison near $215,600 home value and $897/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Rio Blanco County
Is Rio Blanco County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Rio Blanco County?
How much income do you need for housing in Rio Blanco County?
What should I double-check before moving to Rio Blanco County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.