Housing decision brief
Berrien County, GA Housing Market
Berrien 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.
44th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 51st lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$115,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$771/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$689/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
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$82/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$115,200 median home value is 28% below Georgia county median
Lower rent
$771/mo is 9% below Georgia county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $82/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$50,414 median income is 10% below Georgia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.99% effective property-tax rate is 11% above Georgia county median
Health context
Health score is 17.5 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
- 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 Berrien 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. | $115,200 | $161,000 | $281,900 | 28% favorable28% below Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $771 | $847 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $689 | $786 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below Georgia county median |
Median household income | $50,414 | $55,714 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.99% | 0.89% | 1.02% | 11% pressure11% above Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% 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
+$19,574
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$20,885
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Berrien County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $771/month , about 18.4% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Berrien County is $771/month, while owner costs run $689/month. Owning saves approximately $82/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,529/year. With a median household income of $50,414, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Berrien County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Berrien County sits 7% more expensive than Evans County ($720/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colquitt County, GA | $121,400 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,400 home value and $779/mo rent. |
| Burke County, GA | $107,800 | $763/mo | Same-state comparison near $107,800 home value and $763/mo rent. |
| Montgomery County, GA | $118,200 | $732/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,200 home value and $732/mo rent. |
| Brooks County, GA | $118,100 | $752/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,100 home value and $752/mo rent. |
| Seminole County, GA | $111,600 | $819/mo | Same-state comparison near $111,600 home value and $819/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Berrien County
Is Berrien County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Berrien County?
How much income do you need for housing in Berrien County?
What should I double-check before moving to Berrien County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.