Housing decision brief
Seminole County, GA Housing Market
Seminole 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.
39th lowest home value out of 159 Georgia counties with data | 70th lowest rent out of 159
Median home value
$111,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$819/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$660/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
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$159/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
$111,600 median home value is 31% below Georgia county median
Lower rent
$819/mo is 3% below Georgia county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $159/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$49,559 median income is 11% below Georgia county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.22% effective property-tax rate is 37% above Georgia county median
Health context
Health score is 21.3 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 focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Seminole 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. | $111,600 | $161,000 | $281,900 | 31% favorable31% below Georgia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $819 | $847 | $1,163 | Near state median3% below Georgia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $660 | $786 | $1,672 | 16% favorable16% below Georgia county median |
Median household income | $49,559 | $55,714 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below Georgia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.22% | 0.89% | 1.02% | 37% pressure37% above Georgia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 11% favorable25.00% 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
+$16,799
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,273
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Seminole County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $819/month representing approximately 19.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 25.0%.
Rent vs own
At $819/month rent versus $660/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $159/month cheaper , a 19% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $28,286/year. With a median household income of $49,559, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Seminole County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Georgia, Seminole County is less affordable than Polk County by roughly 6% ($819/mo vs $870/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elbert County, GA | $114,600 | $849/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,600 home value and $849/mo rent. |
| Berrien County, GA | $115,200 | $771/mo | Same-state comparison near $115,200 home value and $771/mo rent. |
| Bacon County, GA | $104,100 | $789/mo | Same-state comparison near $104,100 home value and $789/mo rent. |
| Burke County, GA | $107,800 | $763/mo | Same-state comparison near $107,800 home value and $763/mo rent. |
| Colquitt County, GA | $121,400 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,400 home value and $779/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Seminole County
Is Seminole County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Seminole County?
How much income do you need for housing in Seminole County?
What should I double-check before moving to Seminole County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.