Housing decision brief
Hamilton County, FL Housing Market
Hamilton 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.
5th lowest home value out of 67 Florida counties with data | 5th lowest rent out of 67
Median home value
$110,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$819/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$447/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$372/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
$110,400 median home value is 57% below Florida county median
Lower rent
$819/mo is 33% below Florida county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $372/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$47,696 median income is 28% below Florida county median
Health context
Health score is 13.6 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- 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 Hamilton 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. | $110,400 | $254,300 | $281,900 | 57% favorable57% below Florida county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $819 | $1,230 | $1,163 | 33% favorable33% below Florida county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $447 | $1,041 | $1,672 | 57% favorable57% below Florida county median |
Median household income | $47,696 | $66,154 | $74,755 | 28% pressure28% below Florida county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.73% | 0.74% | 1.02% | Near state median1% 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
+$14,936
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,539
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 Hamilton County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $819/month in gross rent, with 30.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $819/month rent versus $447/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $372/month cheaper , a 45% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $19,157/year. With a median household income of $47,696, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Hamilton County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Taylor County where rent averages $878/month, Hamilton County is approximately 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, FL | $105,900 | $819/mo | Same-state comparison near $105,900 home value and $819/mo rent. |
| Jackson County, FL | $113,900 | $846/mo | Same-state comparison near $113,900 home value and $846/mo rent. |
| Holmes County, FL | $101,400 | $823/mo | Same-state comparison near $101,400 home value and $823/mo rent. |
| Dixie County, FL | $96,900 | $792/mo | Same-state comparison near $96,900 home value and $792/mo rent. |
| Taylor County, FL | $100,200 | $878/mo | Same-state comparison near $100,200 home value and $878/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hamilton County
Is Hamilton County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hamilton County?
How much income do you need for housing in Hamilton County?
What should I double-check before moving to Hamilton County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.