Housing decision brief
Elk County, KS Housing Market
Elk County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher 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.
2nd lowest home value out of 105 Kansas counties with data | 2nd lowest rent out of 105
Median home value
$60,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$534/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$567/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
22.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$33/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
$60,900 median home value is 49% below Kansas county median
Lower rent
$534/mo is 30% below Kansas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
22.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 85.4 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$56,087 median income is 11% below Kansas county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.99% effective property-tax rate is 29% above Kansas county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 35.7 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Elk 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. | $60,900 | $118,700 | $281,900 | 49% favorable49% below Kansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $534 | $758 | $1,163 | 30% favorable30% below Kansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $567 | $780 | $1,672 | 27% favorable27% below Kansas county median |
Median household income | $56,087 | $63,136 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below Kansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.99% | 1.55% | 1.02% | 29% pressure29% above Kansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 22.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 8% favorable22.00% 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
+$34,727
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,787
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Elk County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $534/month representing approximately 11.4% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 22.0%.
Rent vs own
At $534/month rent versus $567/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $33/month cheaper , a 6% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $21,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,300/year. With a median household income of $56,087, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Elk County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Elk County sits 10% less expensive than Jewell County ($591/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewell County, KS | $62,100 | $591/mo | Same-state comparison near $62,100 home value and $591/mo rent. |
| Chautauqua County, KS | $63,300 | $713/mo | Same-state comparison near $63,300 home value and $713/mo rent. |
| Comanche County, KS | $59,900 | $672/mo | Same-state comparison near $59,900 home value and $672/mo rent. |
| Republic County, KS | $76,000 | $638/mo | Same-state comparison near $76,000 home value and $638/mo rent. |
| Osborne County, KS | $84,700 | $591/mo | Same-state comparison near $84,700 home value and $591/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Elk County
Is Elk County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Elk County?
How much income do you need for housing in Elk County?
What should I double-check before moving to Elk County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.