Housing decision brief
Mitchell County, KS Housing Market
Mitchell County screens as a higher 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.
62nd lowest home value out of 105 Kansas counties with data | 7th lowest rent out of 105
Median home value
$133,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$604/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$887/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.2%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$283/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $32,609 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower rent
$604/mo is 23% below Kansas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
21.20% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.66% effective property-tax rate is 10% above Kansas county median
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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $32,609, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
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 Mitchell 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. | $133,800 | $124,200 | $281,900 | 8% pressure8% above Kansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $604 | $780 | $1,163 | 23% favorable23% below Kansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $887 | $815 | $1,672 | 9% pressure9% above Kansas county median |
Median household income | $64,246 | $64,178 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Kansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.66% | 1.51% | 1.02% | 10% pressure10% above Kansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.20% | 24.80% | N/A | 15% favorable21.20% 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
+$40,086
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,232
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Mitchell County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $653/month representing approximately 13.5% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 22.0%.
Rent vs own
At $653/month rent versus $859/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $206/month cheaper , a 24% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $26,120/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $36,814/year. With a median household income of $58,233, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Mitchell County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Ellsworth County where rent averages $705/month, Mitchell County is approximately 7% less 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown County, KS | $118,100 | $646/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,100 home value and $646/mo rent. |
| Washington County, KS | $117,100 | $562/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,100 home value and $562/mo rent. |
| Lane County, KS | $127,100 | $590/mo | Same-state comparison near $127,100 home value and $590/mo rent. |
| Marshall County, KS | $127,700 | $690/mo | Same-state comparison near $127,700 home value and $690/mo rent. |
| Wallace County, KS | $105,000 | $601/mo | Same-state comparison near $105,000 home value and $601/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $32,609 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Mitchell County
Is Mitchell County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Mitchell County?
How much income do you need for housing in Mitchell County?
What should I double-check before moving to Mitchell County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.