Housing decision brief
Pierce County, GA Housing Market
Pierce 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.
64th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 64th lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$132,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$794/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$749/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
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$45/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
$132,100 median home value is 18% below Georgia county median
Lower rent
$794/mo is 6% below Georgia county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $45/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 77.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.92% effective property-tax rate is 3% above Georgia county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 22.5 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Pierce 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. | $132,100 | $161,000 | $281,900 | 18% favorable18% below Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $794 | $847 | $1,163 | 6% favorable6% below Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $749 | $786 | $1,672 | 5% favorable5% below Georgia county median |
Median household income | $56,691 | $55,714 | $74,755 | Near state median2% above Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.92% | 0.89% | 1.02% | Near state median3% above Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median28.00% 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
+$24,931
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,591
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 Pierce County is affordable. The median rent is $794/month against a median household income of $56,691, putting rent at 16.8% of income.
Rent vs own
At $794/month rent versus $749/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $45/month cheaper , a 6% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,100/year. With a median household income of $56,691, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Pierce County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Crisp County where rent averages $743/month, Pierce County is approximately 7% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grady County, GA | $136,500 | $789/mo | Same-state comparison near $136,500 home value and $789/mo rent. |
| Early County, GA | $130,100 | $774/mo | Same-state comparison near $130,100 home value and $774/mo rent. |
| Bleckley County, GA | $132,900 | $765/mo | Same-state comparison near $132,900 home value and $765/mo rent. |
| Glascock County, GA | $122,800 | $813/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,800 home value and $813/mo rent. |
| Tift County, GA | $143,100 | $799/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,100 home value and $799/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Pierce County
Is Pierce County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pierce County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pierce County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pierce County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.