Housing decision brief
Ford County, KS Housing Market
Ford County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
66th lowest home value out of 105 Kansas counties with data | 92nd lowest rent out of 105
Median home value
$132,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$960/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$836/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
20.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$124/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
20.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $124/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.65% effective property-tax rate is 7% 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 29.6 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- 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 Ford 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. | $132,700 | $118,700 | $281,900 | 12% pressure12% above Kansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $960 | $758 | $1,163 | 27% pressure27% above Kansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $836 | $780 | $1,672 | 7% pressure7% above Kansas county median |
Median household income | $70,495 | $63,136 | $74,755 | 12% favorable12% above Kansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.65% | 1.55% | 1.02% | 7% pressure7% above Kansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 20.00% | 24.00% | N/A | 17% favorable20.00% 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
+$32,095
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,666
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 Ford County is affordable. The median rent is $960/month against a median household income of $70,495, putting rent at 16.3% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Ford County is $960/month, while owner costs run $836/month. Owning saves approximately $124/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,829/year. With a median household income of $70,495, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 20.0% of renter households in Ford County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Ford County sits 5% less expensive than Pottawatomie County ($1,011/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seward County, KS | $134,000 | $924/mo | Same-state comparison near $134,000 home value and $924/mo rent. |
| Stevens County, KS | $124,500 | $930/mo | Same-state comparison near $124,500 home value and $930/mo rent. |
| Coffey County, KS | $139,500 | $842/mo | Same-state comparison near $139,500 home value and $842/mo rent. |
| Osage County, KS | $142,800 | $810/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,800 home value and $810/mo rent. |
| Sherman County, KS | $126,300 | $852/mo | Same-state comparison near $126,300 home value and $852/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Ford County
Is Ford County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Ford County?
How much income do you need for housing in Ford County?
What should I double-check before moving to Ford County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.