Housing decision brief
Cook County, GA Housing Market
Cook County screens as a below-state 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.
58th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 95th lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$123,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$901/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$651/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
35.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$250/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
$123,000 median home value is 24% below Georgia county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $250/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$50,133 median income is 10% below Georgia county median
Health context
Health score is 13.7 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
- 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 Cook 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. | $123,000 | $161,000 | $281,900 | 24% favorable24% below Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $901 | $847 | $1,163 | 6% pressure6% above Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $651 | $786 | $1,672 | 17% favorable17% below Georgia county median |
Median household income | $50,133 | $55,714 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.82% | 0.89% | 1.02% | 8% favorable8% below Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 35.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 25% pressure35.00% 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
+$14,093
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$22,233
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 Cook County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $901/month in gross rent, with 35.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Cook County pay $901/month on average, compared to $651/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 28%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,040/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,900/year. With a median household income of $50,133, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 35.0% of renter households in Cook County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Cook County sits 5% less expensive than Butts County ($952/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlton County, GA | $119,000 | $895/mo | Same-state comparison near $119,000 home value and $895/mo rent. |
| Dougherty County, GA | $129,200 | $905/mo | Same-state comparison near $129,200 home value and $905/mo rent. |
| Elbert County, GA | $114,600 | $849/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,600 home value and $849/mo rent. |
| Colquitt County, GA | $121,400 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,400 home value and $779/mo rent. |
| Talbot County, GA | $127,200 | $950/mo | Same-state comparison near $127,200 home value and $950/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 Cook County
Is Cook County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Cook County?
How much income do you need for housing in Cook County?
What should I double-check before moving to Cook County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.