Housing decision brief
Franklin County, FL Housing Market
Franklin County screens as a higher 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.
34th lowest home value out of 67 Florida counties with data | 27th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$254,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,044/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$737/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$307/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 rent
$1,044/mo is 15% below Florida county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $307/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,734 median income is 5% below Florida county median
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 30.5 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Franklin 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. | $254,300 | $254,300 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Florida county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,044 | $1,230 | $1,163 | 15% favorable15% below Florida county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $737 | $1,041 | $1,672 | 29% favorable29% below Florida county median |
Median household income | $62,734 | $66,154 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Florida county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.62% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 16% favorable16% below Florida county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 32.00% | N/A | 6% favorable30.00% 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
+$20,974
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,148
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Franklin County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,044/month , about 20.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Franklin County is $1,044/month, while owner costs run $737/month. Owning saves approximately $307/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $41,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,586/year. With a median household income of $62,734, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Franklin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Highlands County where rent averages $980/month, Franklin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hernando County, FL | $240,700 | $1,209/mo | Same-state comparison near $240,700 home value and $1,209/mo rent. |
| Gulf County, FL | $235,700 | $1,161/mo | Same-state comparison near $235,700 home value and $1,161/mo rent. |
| Polk County, FL | $240,000 | $1,272/mo | Same-state comparison near $240,000 home value and $1,272/mo rent. |
| Baker County, FL | $225,000 | $1,011/mo | Same-state comparison near $225,000 home value and $1,011/mo rent. |
| Citrus County, FL | $223,200 | $1,069/mo | Same-state comparison near $223,200 home value and $1,069/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Franklin County
Is Franklin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Franklin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Franklin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Franklin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.