Housing decision brief
Fulton County, IN Housing Market
Fulton 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.
25th lowest home value out of 92 Indiana counties with data | 50th lowest rent out of 92
Median home value
$144,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$861/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$762/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
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$99/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
$144,700 median home value is 16% below Indiana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $99/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 79.8 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,878 median income is 6% below Indiana county median
Health context
Health score is 41.1 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Fulton 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. | $144,700 | $171,400 | $281,900 | 16% favorable16% below Indiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $861 | $850 | $1,163 | Near state median1% above Indiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $762 | $898 | $1,672 | 15% favorable15% below Indiana county median |
Median household income | $62,878 | $66,674 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below Indiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.51% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 49% favorable49% below Indiana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 8% favorable24.00% 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
+$28,438
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,221
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Fulton County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $861/month , about 16.4% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Fulton County is $861/month, while owner costs run $762/month. Owning saves approximately $99/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,657/year. With a median household income of $62,878, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Fulton County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Indiana, Fulton County is less affordable than Owen County by roughly 6% ($861/mo vs $912/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntington County, IN | $146,400 | $866/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,400 home value and $866/mo rent. |
| Orange County, IN | $143,900 | $838/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,900 home value and $838/mo rent. |
| Madison County, IN | $147,700 | $926/mo | Same-state comparison near $147,700 home value and $926/mo rent. |
| Howard County, IN | $151,500 | $915/mo | Same-state comparison near $151,500 home value and $915/mo rent. |
| Benton County, IN | $135,400 | $834/mo | Same-state comparison near $135,400 home value and $834/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Fulton County
Is Fulton County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Fulton County?
How much income do you need for housing in Fulton County?
What should I double-check before moving to Fulton County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.