Housing decision brief
Freeborn County, MN Housing Market
Freeborn 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.
22nd lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 33rd lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$164,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$837/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$888/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
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$51/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
$164,900 median home value is 25% below Minnesota county median
Lower rent
$837/mo is 4% below Minnesota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$69,012 median income is 4% below Minnesota county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.06% effective property-tax rate is 7% above Minnesota county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. 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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- 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
- 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 Freeborn 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. | $164,900 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 25% favorable25% below Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $837 | $873 | $1,163 | Near state median4% below Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $888 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 14% favorable14% below Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $69,012 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median4% below Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.06% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 7% pressure7% above 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
+$35,532
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,955
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Freeborn County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $837/month representing approximately 14.6% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 26.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Freeborn County pay $837/month on average, compared to $888/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 6%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $38,057/year. With a median household income of $69,012, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Freeborn County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Minnesota, Freeborn County is less affordable than Cass County by roughly 6% ($837/mo vs $889/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mower County, MN | $172,000 | $848/mo | Same-state comparison near $172,000 home value and $848/mo rent. |
| Chippewa County, MN | $149,000 | $846/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,000 home value and $846/mo rent. |
| Stevens County, MN | $180,800 | $833/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,800 home value and $833/mo rent. |
| Watonwan County, MN | $151,600 | $807/mo | Same-state comparison near $151,600 home value and $807/mo rent. |
| Nobles County, MN | $179,200 | $863/mo | Same-state comparison near $179,200 home value and $863/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Freeborn County
Is Freeborn County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Freeborn County?
How much income do you need for housing in Freeborn County?
What should I double-check before moving to Freeborn County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.