Housing decision brief
Atchison County, KS Housing Market
Atchison 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.
67th lowest home value out of 105 Kansas counties with data | 49th lowest rent out of 105
Median home value
$145,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$765/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$858/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
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$93/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
$765/mo is 2% below Kansas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 84.1 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$61,112 median income is 5% below Kansas county median
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
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 Atchison 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. | $145,700 | $124,200 | $281,900 | 17% pressure17% above Kansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $765 | $780 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Kansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $858 | $815 | $1,672 | 5% pressure5% above Kansas county median |
Median household income | $61,112 | $64,178 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Kansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.32% | 1.51% | 1.02% | 12% favorable12% below Kansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 24.80% | N/A | 13% pressure28.00% 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
+$30,512
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,341
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Atchison County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $756/month representing approximately 14.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 24.0%.
Rent vs own
At $756/month rent versus $841/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $85/month cheaper , a 10% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,240/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,043/year. With a median household income of $62,164, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Atchison County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Ellsworth County where rent averages $705/month, Atchison County is approximately 7% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyon County, KS | $150,600 | $817/mo | Same-state comparison near $150,600 home value and $817/mo rent. |
| Barton County, KS | $126,400 | $761/mo | Same-state comparison near $126,400 home value and $761/mo rent. |
| Sumner County, KS | $135,100 | $825/mo | Same-state comparison near $135,100 home value and $825/mo rent. |
| Morris County, KS | $129,600 | $724/mo | Same-state comparison near $129,600 home value and $724/mo rent. |
| Meade County, KS | $148,900 | $790/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,900 home value and $790/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Atchison County
Is Atchison County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Atchison County?
How much income do you need for housing in Atchison County?
What should I double-check before moving to Atchison County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.