Housing decision brief
Itasca County, MN Housing Market
Itasca County screens as a below-state 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.
40th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 63rd lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$212,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$944/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$967/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
33.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$23/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
$212,000 median home value is 4% below Minnesota county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$66,380 median income is 7% 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
- 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 Itasca 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. | $212,000 | $221,100 | $281,900 | Near state median4% below Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $944 | $873 | $1,163 | 8% pressure8% above Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $967 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 6% favorable6% below Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $66,380 | $71,573 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.87% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 12% favorable12% below Minnesota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 33.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 27% pressure33.00% 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
+$28,620
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,937
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Itasca County is affordable. The median rent is $944/month against a median household income of $66,380, putting rent at 17.1% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Itasca County is $944/month, while owner costs run $967/month. Renting saves approximately $23/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $37,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,443/year. With a median household income of $66,380, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 33.0% of renter households in Itasca County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Itasca County sits 6% more expensive than Cass County ($889/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County, MN | $208,500 | $970/mo | Same-state comparison near $208,500 home value and $970/mo rent. |
| Beltrami County, MN | $222,300 | $991/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,300 home value and $991/mo rent. |
| Lake of the Woods County, MN | $215,000 | $867/mo | Same-state comparison near $215,000 home value and $867/mo rent. |
| Polk County, MN | $211,100 | $843/mo | Same-state comparison near $211,100 home value and $843/mo rent. |
| Kanabec County, MN | $221,100 | $1,003/mo | Same-state comparison near $221,100 home value and $1,003/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Itasca County
Is Itasca County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Itasca County?
How much income do you need for housing in Itasca County?
What should I double-check before moving to Itasca County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.