Housing decision brief
Lincoln County, GA Housing Market
Lincoln County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
84th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$163,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$732/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$816/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$84/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$732/mo is 14% below Georgia county median
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 94.5 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$50,688 median income is 9% 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 30.9 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Lincoln 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. | $163,600 | $161,000 | $281,900 | Near state median2% above Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $732 | $847 | $1,163 | 14% favorable14% below Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $816 | $786 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above Georgia county median |
Median household income | $50,688 | $55,714 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.88% | 0.89% | 1.02% | Near state median1% below Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 11% pressure31.00% 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
+$21,408
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,717
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 Lincoln County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $732/month in gross rent, with 31.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $732/month rent versus $816/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $84/month cheaper , a 10% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,971/year. With a median household income of $50,688, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Lincoln County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Lincoln County sits 7% less expensive than Ware County ($786/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, GA | $160,600 | $778/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,600 home value and $778/mo rent. |
| McIntosh County, GA | $173,900 | $781/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,900 home value and $781/mo rent. |
| Upson County, GA | $149,500 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,500 home value and $779/mo rent. |
| Stephens County, GA | $168,200 | $817/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,200 home value and $817/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 Lincoln County
Is Lincoln County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lincoln County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lincoln County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lincoln County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.