Housing decision brief
Becker County, MN Housing Market
Becker County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
68th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 52nd lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$266,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$899/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,095/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$196/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$71,117 median income is 1% below Minnesota 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.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Becker 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. | $266,900 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 21% pressure21% above Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $899 | $873 | $1,163 | Near state median3% above Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,095 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 6% pressure6% above Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $71,117 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median1% below Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.73% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 26% favorable26% below Minnesota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 8% pressure28.00% 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
+$35,157
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,188
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Becker County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $899/month in gross rent, with 28.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Becker County is $899/month, while owner costs run $1,095/month. Renting saves approximately $196/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $35,960/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,929/year. With a median household income of $71,117, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Becker County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Becker County sits 6% more expensive than Mower County ($848/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hubbard County, MN | $255,900 | $923/mo | Same-state comparison near $255,900 home value and $923/mo rent. |
| Crow Wing County, MN | $274,400 | $962/mo | Same-state comparison near $274,400 home value and $962/mo rent. |
| Benton County, MN | $247,100 | $917/mo | Same-state comparison near $247,100 home value and $917/mo rent. |
| Cook County, MN | $294,000 | $886/mo | Same-state comparison near $294,000 home value and $886/mo rent. |
| Cass County, MN | $262,300 | $889/mo | Same-state comparison near $262,300 home value and $889/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Becker County
Is Becker County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Becker County?
How much income do you need for housing in Becker County?
What should I double-check before moving to Becker County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.