Housing decision brief
Monroe County, IN Housing Market
Monroe County screens as a higher 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.
88th lowest home value out of 92 Indiana counties with data | 88th lowest rent out of 92
Median home value
$261,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,151/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,108/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
35.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$43/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $43/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,372 median income is 5% below Indiana county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
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 Monroe 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. | $261,700 | $171,400 | $281,900 | 53% pressure53% above Indiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,151 | $850 | $1,163 | 35% pressure35% above Indiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,108 | $898 | $1,672 | 23% pressure23% above Indiana county median |
Median household income | $63,372 | $66,674 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Indiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.70% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 30% favorable30% below Indiana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 35.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 35% pressure35.00% 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
+$17,332
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,886
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 Monroe County is affordable. The median rent is $1,151/month against a median household income of $63,372, putting rent at 21.8% of income.
Rent vs own
At $1,151/month rent versus $1,108/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $43/month cheaper , a 4% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $46,040/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $47,486/year. With a median household income of $63,372, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 35.0% of renter households in Monroe County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Johnson County where rent averages $1,208/month, Monroe County is approximately 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, IN | $207,000 | $1,107/mo | Same-state comparison near $207,000 home value and $1,107/mo rent. |
| Porter County, IN | $261,900 | $1,146/mo | Same-state comparison near $261,900 home value and $1,146/mo rent. |
| Tippecanoe County, IN | $217,600 | $1,088/mo | Same-state comparison near $217,600 home value and $1,088/mo rent. |
| Lake County, IN | $214,700 | $1,094/mo | Same-state comparison near $214,700 home value and $1,094/mo rent. |
| Johnson County, IN | $260,400 | $1,208/mo | Same-state comparison near $260,400 home value and $1,208/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Monroe County
Is Monroe County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Monroe County?
How much income do you need for housing in Monroe County?
What should I double-check before moving to Monroe County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.