Housing decision brief
Pennington County, MN Housing Market
Pennington County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
34th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 53rd lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$188,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$900/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,076/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$176/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
$188,900 median home value is 15% below Minnesota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.22% effective property-tax rate is 23% above 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Pennington 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. | $188,900 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 15% favorable15% below Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $900 | $873 | $1,163 | Near state median3% above Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,076 | $1,034 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $72,561 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median1% above Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.22% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 23% pressure23% above Minnesota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 12% favorable23.00% 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
+$36,561
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,447
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 Pennington County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $900/month in gross rent, with 23.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $900/month rent versus $1,076/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $176/month cheaper , a 16% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,114/year. With a median household income of $72,561, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Pennington County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Pennington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roseau County, MN | $177,100 | $886/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,100 home value and $886/mo rent. |
| Brown County, MN | $181,700 | $931/mo | Same-state comparison near $181,700 home value and $931/mo rent. |
| Stevens County, MN | $180,800 | $833/mo | Same-state comparison near $180,800 home value and $833/mo rent. |
| Mower County, MN | $172,000 | $848/mo | Same-state comparison near $172,000 home value and $848/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 Pennington County
Is Pennington County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pennington County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pennington County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pennington County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.