Housing decision brief
Rush County, IN Housing Market
Rush County screens as a below-state 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.
34th lowest home value out of 92 Indiana counties with data | 39th lowest rent out of 92
Median home value
$155,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$831/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$857/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$26/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$155,900 median home value is 9% below Indiana county median
Lower rent
$831/mo is 2% below Indiana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 84.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,393 median income is 3% 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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Rush 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. | $155,900 | $171,400 | $281,900 | 9% favorable9% below Indiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $831 | $850 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Indiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $857 | $898 | $1,672 | 5% favorable5% below Indiana county median |
Median household income | $64,393 | $66,674 | $74,755 | Near state median3% below Indiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.65% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 35% favorable35% below Indiana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median25.00% 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
+$31,153
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,664
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 Rush County is affordable. The median rent is $831/month against a median household income of $64,393, putting rent at 15.5% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Rush County pay $831/month on average, compared to $857/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 3%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,729/year. With a median household income of $64,393, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Rush County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Rush County sits 7% more expensive than Fayette County ($779/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, IN | $143,900 | $838/mo | Same-state comparison near $143,900 home value and $838/mo rent. |
| White County, IN | $163,000 | $853/mo | Same-state comparison near $163,000 home value and $853/mo rent. |
| Montgomery County, IN | $166,300 | $827/mo | Same-state comparison near $166,300 home value and $827/mo rent. |
| Lawrence County, IN | $164,500 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $164,500 home value and $800/mo rent. |
| Clinton County, IN | $157,300 | $915/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,300 home value and $915/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Rush County
Is Rush County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Rush County?
How much income do you need for housing in Rush County?
What should I double-check before moving to Rush County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.