Housing decision brief
Pope County, MN Housing Market
Pope County screens as a higher 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.
58th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 39th lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$242,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$851/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,085/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
32.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$234/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$851/mo is 3% below Minnesota county median
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 79.5 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Pope 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. | $242,800 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 10% pressure10% above Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $851 | $873 | $1,163 | Near state median3% below Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,085 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 5% pressure5% above Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $72,205 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median1% above Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.79% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 21% favorable21% below Minnesota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 32.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 23% pressure32.00% 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
+$38,165
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,705
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Pope County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $851/month , about 14.1% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $851/month rent versus $1,085/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $234/month cheaper , a 22% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,040/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $46,500/year. With a median household income of $72,205, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 32.0% of renter households in Pope County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Pope County sits 7% more expensive than Wabasha County ($798/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mille Lacs County, MN | $237,500 | $909/mo | Same-state comparison near $237,500 home value and $909/mo rent. |
| Kandiyohi County, MN | $230,500 | $843/mo | Same-state comparison near $230,500 home value and $843/mo rent. |
| Benton County, MN | $247,100 | $917/mo | Same-state comparison near $247,100 home value and $917/mo rent. |
| Otter Tail County, MN | $252,500 | $805/mo | Same-state comparison near $252,500 home value and $805/mo rent. |
| Winona County, MN | $222,900 | $866/mo | Same-state comparison near $222,900 home value and $866/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Pope County
Is Pope County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pope County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pope County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pope County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.