Housing decision brief
Wilkin County, MN Housing Market
Wilkin 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.
25th lowest home value out of 87 Minnesota counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 87
Median home value
$172,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$561/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$907/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$346/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
$172,300 median home value is 22% below Minnesota county median
Lower rent
$561/mo is 36% below Minnesota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 94.7 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$69,635 median income is 3% 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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- 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 Wilkin 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. | $172,300 | $221,100 | $281,900 | 22% favorable22% below Minnesota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $561 | $873 | $1,163 | 36% favorable36% below Minnesota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $907 | $1,034 | $1,672 | 12% favorable12% below Minnesota county median |
Median household income | $69,635 | $71,573 | $74,755 | Near state median3% below Minnesota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.76% | 0.99% | 1.02% | 24% favorable24% below Minnesota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median25.00% 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
+$47,195
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,764
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Wilkin County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $561/month representing approximately 9.7% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 25.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Wilkin County is $561/month, while owner costs run $907/month. Renting saves approximately $346/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $22,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $38,871/year. With a median household income of $69,635, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Wilkin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Wilkin County sits 9% less expensive than Traverse County ($617/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Lake County, MN | $157,200 | $628/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,200 home value and $628/mo rent. |
| Lincoln County, MN | $152,200 | $688/mo | Same-state comparison near $152,200 home value and $688/mo rent. |
| Clearwater County, MN | $177,100 | $740/mo | Same-state comparison near $177,100 home value and $740/mo rent. |
| Yellow Medicine County, MN | $148,200 | $688/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,200 home value and $688/mo rent. |
| Grant County, MN | $178,600 | $779/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,600 home value and $779/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Wilkin County
Is Wilkin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Wilkin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Wilkin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Wilkin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.