Housing decision brief
Switzerland County, IN Housing Market
Switzerland County screens as a higher 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.
56th lowest home value out of 92 Indiana counties with data | 9th lowest rent out of 92
Median home value
$183,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$720/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$946/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$226/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$720/mo is 15% below Indiana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 88.4 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$65,148 median income is 2% below Indiana county median
Health context
Health score is 44.8 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
- 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 Switzerland 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. | $183,200 | $171,400 | $281,900 | 7% pressure7% above Indiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $720 | $850 | $1,163 | 15% favorable15% below Indiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $946 | $898 | $1,672 | 5% pressure5% above Indiana county median |
Median household income | $65,148 | $66,674 | $74,755 | Near state median2% below Indiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.41% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 59% favorable59% below Indiana county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 12% favorable23.00% 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
+$36,348
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,605
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 Switzerland County is affordable. The median rent is $720/month against a median household income of $65,148, putting rent at 13.3% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Switzerland County pay $720/month on average, compared to $946/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 24%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $40,543/year. With a median household income of $65,148, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Switzerland County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Indiana, Switzerland County is less affordable than Noble County by roughly 7% ($720/mo vs $776/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer County, IN | $180,200 | $697/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,200 home value and $697/mo rent. |
| Noble County, IN | $183,400 | $776/mo | Same-state comparison near $183,400 home value and $776/mo rent. |
| Adams County, IN | $173,100 | $799/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,100 home value and $799/mo rent. |
| Lawrence County, IN | $164,500 | $800/mo | Same-state comparison near $164,500 home value and $800/mo rent. |
| Daviess County, IN | $187,500 | $837/mo | Same-state comparison near $187,500 home value and $837/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Switzerland County
Is Switzerland County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Switzerland County?
How much income do you need for housing in Switzerland County?
What should I double-check before moving to Switzerland County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.