Housing decision brief
Decatur County, GA Housing Market
Decatur County screens as a below-state 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.
73rd lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 84th lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$146,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$860/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$750/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$110/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
$146,200 median home value 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 $110/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$50,485 median income is 9% below Georgia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.93% effective property-tax rate is 4% above 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 17.0 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
- 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 Decatur 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. | $146,200 | $161,000 | $281,900 | 9% favorable9% below Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $860 | $847 | $1,163 | Near state median2% above Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $750 | $786 | $1,672 | 5% favorable5% below Georgia county median |
Median household income | $50,485 | $55,714 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.93% | 0.89% | 1.02% | Near state median4% 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
+$16,085
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,342
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 Decatur County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $860/month in gross rent, with 27.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Decatur County pay $860/month on average, compared to $750/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 13%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,143/year. With a median household income of $50,485, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Decatur County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lamar County where rent averages $913/month, Decatur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, GA | $149,800 | $839/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,800 home value and $839/mo rent. |
| Upson County, GA | $149,500 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,500 home value and $779/mo rent. |
| Tift County, GA | $143,100 | $799/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,100 home value and $799/mo rent. |
| Pulaski County, GA | $144,300 | $789/mo | Same-state comparison near $144,300 home value and $789/mo rent. |
| McDuffie County, GA | $155,100 | $813/mo | Same-state comparison near $155,100 home value and $813/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Decatur County
Is Decatur County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Decatur County?
How much income do you need for housing in Decatur County?
What should I double-check before moving to Decatur County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.