Housing decision brief
Clearwater County, MN Housing Market
Clearwater County screens as a below-state 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.
26th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 14th lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$177,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$740/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
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$147/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$177,100 median home value is 20% below Minnesota county median
Lower rent
$740/mo is 15% below Minnesota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 95.9 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,934 median income is 9% below Minnesota 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Clearwater 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. | $177,100 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 20% favorable20% below Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $740 | $873 | $1,163 | 15% favorable15% below Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $887 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 14% favorable14% below Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $64,934 | $71,573 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% 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. | 26.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median26.00% 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
+$35,334
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,920
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 Clearwater County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $740/month in gross rent, with 26.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Clearwater County is $740/month, while owner costs run $887/month. Renting saves approximately $147/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $38,014/year. With a median household income of $64,934, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Clearwater County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Clearwater County sits 8% more expensive than Lincoln County ($688/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County, MN | $158,800 | $735/mo | Same-state comparison near $158,800 home value and $735/mo rent. |
| Nobles County, MN | $179,200 | $863/mo | Same-state comparison near $179,200 home value and $863/mo rent. |
| Grant County, MN | $178,600 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,600 home value and $779/mo rent. |
| Murray County, MN | $179,400 | $768/mo | Same-state comparison near $179,400 home value and $768/mo rent. |
| Lyon County, MN | $193,100 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,100 home value and $742/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Clearwater County
Is Clearwater County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Clearwater County?
How much income do you need for housing in Clearwater County?
What should I double-check before moving to Clearwater County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.