Housing decision brief
Gove County, KS Housing Market
Gove 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.
54th lowest home value out of 105 Kansas counties with data | 45th lowest rent out of 105
Median home value
$119,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$730/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$730/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
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$0/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
$730/mo is 4% below Kansas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 95.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Gove 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. | $119,000 | $118,700 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Kansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $730 | $758 | $1,163 | Near state median4% below Kansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $730 | $780 | $1,672 | 6% favorable6% below Kansas county median |
Median household income | $63,203 | $63,136 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Kansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.33% | 1.55% | 1.02% | 14% favorable14% below Kansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 24.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$34,003
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,917
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Gove County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $730/month representing approximately 13.9% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 24.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Gove County is $730/month, while owner costs run $730/month. Owning saves approximately $0/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,200/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,286/year. With a median household income of $63,203, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Gove County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Gove County sits 8% more expensive than Rooks County ($679/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, KS | $114,400 | $727/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,400 home value and $727/mo rent. |
| Hamilton County, KS | $119,700 | $778/mo | Same-state comparison near $119,700 home value and $778/mo rent. |
| Ellsworth County, KS | $116,300 | $705/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,300 home value and $705/mo rent. |
| Barton County, KS | $117,200 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,200 home value and $742/mo rent. |
| Rice County, KS | $105,500 | $717/mo | Same-state comparison near $105,500 home value and $717/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Gove County
Is Gove County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Gove County?
How much income do you need for housing in Gove County?
What should I double-check before moving to Gove County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.