Housing decision brief
Clare County, MI Housing Market
Clare 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.
5th lowest home value out of 83 Michigan counties with data | 16th lowest rent out of 83
Median home value
$117,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$743/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$706/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$37/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
$117,400 median home value is 30% below Michigan county median
Lower rent
$743/mo is 12% below Michigan county median
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $37/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$49,805 median income is 19% below Michigan county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.18% effective property-tax rate is 4% above Michigan county median
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
- 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
- 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 Clare 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. | $117,400 | $167,600 | $281,900 | 30% favorable30% below Michigan county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $743 | $845 | $1,163 | 12% favorable12% below Michigan county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $706 | $868 | $1,672 | 19% favorable19% below Michigan county median |
Median household income | $49,805 | $61,868 | $74,755 | 19% pressure19% below Michigan county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.18% | 1.13% | 1.02% | Near state median4% above Michigan county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median29.00% 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
+$20,085
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$19,548
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Clare County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $743/month representing approximately 17.9% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 29.0%.
Rent vs own
At $743/month rent versus $706/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $37/month cheaper , a 5% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $30,257/year. With a median household income of $49,805, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Clare County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Tuscola County where rent averages $796/month, Clare 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscoda County, MI | $126,000 | $675/mo | Same-state comparison near $126,000 home value and $675/mo rent. |
| Lake County, MI | $122,900 | $863/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,900 home value and $863/mo rent. |
| Iosco County, MI | $122,900 | $659/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,900 home value and $659/mo rent. |
| Luce County, MI | $110,400 | $799/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,400 home value and $799/mo rent. |
| Arenac County, MI | $129,000 | $741/mo | Same-state comparison near $129,000 home value and $741/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Clare County
Is Clare County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Clare County?
How much income do you need for housing in Clare County?
What should I double-check before moving to Clare County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.