Housing decision brief
Pine County, MN Housing Market
Pine County screens as a higher 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.
48th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 44th lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$225,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$873/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,051/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
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$178/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$69,666 median income is 3% below Minnesota county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Pine 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. | $225,600 | $221,100 | $281,900 | Near state median2% above Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $873 | $873 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,051 | $1,034 | $1,672 | Near state median2% above Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $69,666 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median3% 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. | 29.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 12% pressure29.00% 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
+$34,746
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,623
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 Pine County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $873/month in gross rent, with 29.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Pine County is $873/month, while owner costs run $1,051/month. Renting saves approximately $178/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $45,043/year. With a median household income of $69,666, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Pine County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Waseca County where rent averages $819/month, Pine County is approximately 7% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winona County, MN | $222,900 | $866/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,900 home value and $866/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. |
| Meeker County, MN | $228,900 | $894/mo | Same-state comparison near $228,900 home value and $894/mo rent. |
| Houston County, MN | $226,300 | $881/mo | Same-state comparison near $226,300 home value and $881/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Pine County
Is Pine County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pine County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pine County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pine County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.