Housing decision brief
Washington County, KY Housing Market
Washington 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.
82nd lowest home value out of 120 Kentucky counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 120
Median home value
$168,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$696/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$803/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$107/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$696/mo is 8% below Kentucky county median
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 83.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- 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 Washington 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. | $168,300 | $138,300 | $281,900 | 22% pressure22% above Kentucky county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $696 | $756 | $1,163 | 8% favorable8% below Kentucky county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $803 | $691 | $1,672 | 16% pressure16% above Kentucky county median |
Median household income | $59,762 | $55,017 | $74,755 | 9% favorable9% above Kentucky county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.72% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 28% favorable28% below Kentucky county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 11% pressure30.00% 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
+$31,922
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,348
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Washington County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $696/month representing approximately 14.0% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Washington County is $696/month, while owner costs run $803/month. Renting saves approximately $107/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $27,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,414/year. With a median household income of $59,762, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Washington County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Washington County sits 8% more expensive than Casey County ($645/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor County, KY | $163,700 | $691/mo | Same-state comparison near $163,700 home value and $691/mo rent. |
| Owen County, KY | $165,000 | $775/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,000 home value and $775/mo rent. |
| Allen County, KY | $176,300 | $750/mo | Same-state comparison near $176,300 home value and $750/mo rent. |
| Logan County, KY | $151,500 | $719/mo | Same-state comparison near $151,500 home value and $719/mo rent. |
| Henderson County, KY | $165,700 | $794/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,700 home value and $794/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 1 active site in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Washington County
Is Washington County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Washington County?
How much income do you need for housing in Washington County?
What should I double-check before moving to Washington County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.