Housing decision brief
Baldwin County, GA Housing Market
Baldwin County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
85th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 85th lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$164,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$865/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$818/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
33.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$47/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $47/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,413 median income is 1% below Georgia 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 22.7 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
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 Baldwin 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. | $164,700 | $161,000 | $281,900 | Near state median2% above Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $865 | $847 | $1,163 | Near state median2% above Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $818 | $786 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above Georgia county median |
Median household income | $55,413 | $55,714 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.74% | 0.89% | 1.02% | 17% favorable17% below Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 33.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 18% pressure33.00% 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
+$20,813
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$20,356
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Baldwin County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $865/month representing approximately 18.7% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 33.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Baldwin County pay $865/month on average, compared to $818/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 5%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,057/year. With a median household income of $55,413, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 33.0% of renter households in Baldwin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Georgia, Baldwin County is more affordable than Hart County by roughly 6% ($865/mo vs $814/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, GA | $163,500 | $870/mo | Same-state comparison near $163,500 home value and $870/mo rent. |
| Walker County, GA | $173,900 | $867/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,900 home value and $867/mo rent. |
| Dade County, GA | $166,600 | $843/mo | Same-state comparison near $166,600 home value and $843/mo rent. |
| Meriwether County, GA | $154,600 | $899/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,600 home value and $899/mo rent. |
| Stephens County, GA | $168,200 | $817/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,200 home value and $817/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 1 active site in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Baldwin County
Is Baldwin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Baldwin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Baldwin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Baldwin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.