Housing decision brief
Harper County, KS Housing Market
Harper 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.
9th lowest home value out of 105 Kansas counties with data | 27th lowest rent out of 105
Median home value
$77,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$693/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$685/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$8/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$77,300 median home value is 35% below Kansas county median
Lower rent
$693/mo is 9% below Kansas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $8/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,417 median income is 12% below Kansas county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.78% effective property-tax rate is 15% 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 36.1 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
- 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 Harper 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. | $77,300 | $118,700 | $281,900 | 35% favorable35% below Kansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $693 | $758 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Kansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $685 | $780 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below Kansas county median |
Median household income | $55,417 | $63,136 | $74,755 | 12% pressure12% below Kansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.78% | 1.55% | 1.02% | 15% pressure15% above 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
+$27,697
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,060
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Harper County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $693/month , about 15.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Harper County pay $693/month on average, compared to $685/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 1%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $27,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $29,357/year. With a median household income of $55,417, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Harper County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Norton County where rent averages $642/month, Harper County is approximately 8% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County, KS | $78,500 | $695/mo | Same-state comparison near $78,500 home value and $695/mo rent. |
| Rush County, KS | $79,300 | $700/mo | Same-state comparison near $79,300 home value and $700/mo rent. |
| Republic County, KS | $76,000 | $638/mo | Same-state comparison near $76,000 home value and $638/mo rent. |
| Greenwood County, KS | $82,600 | $710/mo | Same-state comparison near $82,600 home value and $710/mo rent. |
| Edwards County, KS | $70,500 | $732/mo | Same-state comparison near $70,500 home value and $732/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Harper County
Is Harper County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Harper County?
How much income do you need for housing in Harper County?
What should I double-check before moving to Harper County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.