Housing decision brief
Murray County, MN Housing Market
Murray 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.
30th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 22nd lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$179,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$768/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$834/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
20.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$66/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
$179,400 median home value is 19% below Minnesota county median
Lower rent
$768/mo is 12% below Minnesota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
20.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 80.2 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Murray 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. | $179,400 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 19% favorable19% below Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $768 | $873 | $1,163 | 12% favorable12% below Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $834 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 19% favorable19% below Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $74,475 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median4% above Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.77% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 23% favorable23% below Minnesota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 20.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 23% favorable20.00% 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
+$43,755
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$38,732
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Murray County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $768/month , about 12.4% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Murray County pay $768/month on average, compared to $834/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 8%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,743/year. With a median household income of $74,475, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 20.0% of renter households in Murray County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Minnesota, Murray County is less affordable than Waseca County by roughly 6% ($768/mo vs $819/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County, MN | $178,600 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,600 home value and $779/mo rent. |
| Lyon County, MN | $193,100 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $193,100 home value and $742/mo rent. |
| Stevens County, MN | $180,800 | $833/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,800 home value and $833/mo rent. |
| Fillmore County, MN | $204,000 | $763/mo | Same-state comparison near $204,000 home value and $763/mo rent. |
| Roseau County, MN | $177,100 | $886/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,100 home value and $886/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Murray County
Is Murray County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Murray County?
How much income do you need for housing in Murray County?
What should I double-check before moving to Murray County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.