Housing decision brief
Clarke County, GA Housing Market
Clarke County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
131st lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 133rd lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$271,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,162/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,163/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
36.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$1/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
No signal
No strong positive housing signal was available in the current dataset.
What to Check
Lower income base
$52,267 median income is 6% below Georgia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.90% effective property-tax rate is 1% above Georgia county median
Health context
Health score is 42.1 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
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 Clarke 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. | $271,900 | $161,000 | $281,900 | 69% pressure69% above Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,162 | $847 | $1,163 | 37% pressure37% above Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,163 | $786 | $1,672 | 48% pressure48% above Georgia county median |
Median household income | $52,267 | $55,714 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.90% | 0.89% | 1.02% | Near state median1% above Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 36.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 29% pressure36.00% 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
+$5,787
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$2,424
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 Clarke County is moderately affordable. The median rent is $1,162/month against a median household income of $52,267, putting rent at 26.7% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Clarke County is $1,162/month, while owner costs run $1,163/month. Renting saves approximately $1/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $46,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $49,843/year. With a median household income of $52,267, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 36.0% of renter households in Clarke County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Walton County where rent averages $1,231/month, Clarke County is approximately 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabun County, GA | $272,600 | $1,016/mo | Same-state comparison near $272,600 home value and $1,016/mo rent. |
| Glynn County, GA | $268,300 | $1,060/mo | Same-state comparison near $268,300 home value and $1,060/mo rent. |
| Fannin County, GA | $274,600 | $876/mo | Same-state comparison near $274,600 home value and $876/mo rent. |
| Lumpkin County, GA | $277,200 | $1,090/mo | Same-state comparison near $277,200 home value and $1,090/mo rent. |
| White County, GA | $262,200 | $1,015/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,200 home value and $1,015/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Clarke County
Is Clarke County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Clarke County?
How much income do you need for housing in Clarke County?
What should I double-check before moving to Clarke County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.