Housing decision brief
San Juan County, CO Housing Market
San Juan County screens as a higher 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.
35th lowest home value out of 64 Colorado counties with data | 29th lowest rent out of 64
Median home value
$406,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,076/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$772/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
22.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$304/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $93,791 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower rent
$1,076/mo is 3% below Colorado county median
Rent burden below pressure line
22.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $304/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 89.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.29% effective property-tax rate is No Colorado county median comparison available
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $93,791, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
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
Poor Fit For
- 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 San Juan 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. | $406,900 | $358,350 | $281,900 | 14% pressure14% above Colorado county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,076 | $1,110 | $1,163 | Near state median3% below Colorado county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $772 | $1,007 | $1,672 | 23% favorable23% below Colorado county median |
Median household income | $73,889 | $71,230 | $74,755 | Near state median4% above Colorado county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.29% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Colorado county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 22.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 24% favorable22.00% 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
+$30,849
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$40,803
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 San Juan County is affordable. The median rent is $1,076/month against a median household income of $73,889, putting rent at 17.5% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in San Juan County pay $1,076/month on average, compared to $772/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 28%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $43,040/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $33,086/year. With a median household income of $73,889, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in San Juan County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Colorado, San Juan County is more affordable than Custer County by roughly 5% ($1,076/mo vs $1,021/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County, CO | $358,800 | $1,021/mo | Same-state comparison near $358,800 home value and $1,021/mo rent. |
| Hinsdale County, CO | $438,800 | $1,099/mo | Same-state comparison near $438,800 home value and $1,099/mo rent. |
| Mesa County, CO | $349,400 | $1,154/mo | Same-state comparison near $349,400 home value and $1,154/mo rent. |
| Montrose County, CO | $357,900 | $1,120/mo | Same-state comparison near $357,900 home value and $1,120/mo rent. |
| Morgan County, CO | $299,300 | $1,092/mo | Same-state comparison near $299,300 home value and $1,092/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $93,791 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for San Juan County
Is San Juan County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in San Juan County?
How much income do you need for housing in San Juan County?
What should I double-check before moving to San Juan County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.