County housing intelligence
Missouri Housing Market by County
Missouri is not one housing market. Across 115 counties, the median county home value is $156,400 and the median county rent is $754/mo. The useful question is not whether Missouri is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$156,400
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$754/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
115
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Missouri Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Platte County, St. Charles County, Camden County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Shelby County, Dunklin County, Worth County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
St. Charles County, Platte County, Clay County lead on rent, while Worth County, Schuyler County, Shannon County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Mercer County, Atchison County, Shelby County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Shelby County
$86,200
- 2. Dunklin County
$93,800
- 3. Worth County
$94,600
- 4. Mercer County
$95,300
- 5. Pemiscot County
$95,900
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Mercer County
1.6x home-value-to-income
- 2. Atchison County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 3. Shelby County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 4. Carroll County
1.8x home-value-to-income
- 5. Knox County
1.8x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Worth County
$353/mo
- 2. Schuyler County
$382/mo
- 3. Shannon County
$509/mo
- 4. Scotland County
$516/mo
- 5. Chariton County
$540/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Maries County
17.0% rent burden
- 2. Atchison County
18.0% rent burden
- 3. Holt County
18.0% rent burden
- 4. Schuyler County
18.0% rent burden
- 5. Sullivan County
18.0% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Wright County
0.38% effective tax rate
- 2. Douglas County
0.41% effective tax rate
- 3. Shannon County
0.43% effective tax rate
- 4. Carter County
0.44% effective tax rate
- 5. Reynolds County
0.46% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Mississippi County
$215/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Benton County
$205/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Oregon County
$175/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Barton County
$157/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Madison County
$153/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Mercer County
$60,357 income, 1.6x value-to-income
- 2. St. Charles County
$102,912 income, 2.9x value-to-income
- 3. Atchison County
$59,260 income, 1.7x value-to-income
- 4. Carroll County
$61,712 income, 1.8x value-to-income
- 5. Chariton County
$63,307 income, 1.9x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Shelby County $86,200 home value, $52,127 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Shelby County $86,200 home value, 0.90% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Putnam County $575/mo rent, 36.00% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Platte County $317,600 home value, $95,748 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Missouri County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County | $95,300 | $548/mo | $60,357 | 1.6x | 0.95% |
| Atchison County | $100,600 | $595/mo | $59,260 | 1.7x | 1.17% |
| Shelby County | $86,200 | $570/mo | $52,127 | 1.7x | 0.90% |
| Carroll County | $110,500 | $785/mo | $61,712 | 1.8x | 0.84% |
| Knox County | $97,200 | $661/mo | $53,333 | 1.8x | 0.80% |
| Chariton County | $118,900 | $540/mo | $63,307 | 1.9x | 0.76% |
| Linn County | $117,300 | $612/mo | $61,975 | 1.9x | 0.77% |
| Sullivan County | $103,300 | $692/mo | $55,500 | 1.9x | 0.74% |
| Dunklin County | $93,800 | $632/mo | $47,368 | 2.0x | 0.69% |
| Grundy County | $107,000 | $679/mo | $53,839 | 2.0x | 1.02% |
| Harrison County | $107,400 | $666/mo | $53,364 | 2.0x | 0.82% |
| Putnam County | $111,600 | $575/mo | $56,875 | 2.0x | 0.99% |
| Worth County | $94,600 | $353/mo | $46,167 | 2.0x | 0.80% |
| Gentry County | $123,000 | $620/mo | $57,458 | 2.1x | 1.03% |
| Holt County | $122,300 | $702/mo | $58,516 | 2.1x | 0.77% |
| New Madrid County | $105,500 | $734/mo | $49,237 | 2.1x | 0.71% |
| Schuyler County | $118,200 | $382/mo | $56,023 | 2.1x | 0.87% |
| Scotland County | $141,100 | $516/mo | $67,568 | 2.1x | 0.84% |
| Audrain County | $121,600 | $698/mo | $56,232 | 2.2x | 0.88% |
| Iron County | $113,000 | $671/mo | $51,161 | 2.2x | 0.65% |
| Macon County | $127,000 | $719/mo | $58,318 | 2.2x | 0.83% |
| Mississippi County | $100,300 | $782/mo | $46,258 | 2.2x | 0.88% |
| Pike County | $129,400 | $742/mo | $57,572 | 2.2x | 0.77% |
| Clark County | $117,600 | $589/mo | $51,458 | 2.3x | 0.97% |
| Howard County | $145,300 | $807/mo | $62,628 | 2.3x | 0.87% |
| Lewis County | $118,900 | $627/mo | $52,340 | 2.3x | 0.74% |
| Livingston County | $138,300 | $747/mo | $60,148 | 2.3x | 0.90% |
| Washington County | $118,400 | $680/mo | $51,886 | 2.3x | 0.58% |
| DeKalb County | $167,500 | $796/mo | $69,093 | 2.4x | 0.76% |
| Pemiscot County | $95,900 | $708/mo | $40,748 | 2.4x | 1.01% |
| Scott County | $143,700 | $809/mo | $58,847 | 2.4x | 0.65% |
| Bollinger County | $142,400 | $677/mo | $57,286 | 2.5x | 0.61% |
| Caldwell County | $156,700 | $628/mo | $62,520 | 2.5x | 0.78% |
| Daviess County | $149,200 | $731/mo | $60,665 | 2.5x | 0.71% |
| Lafayette County | $200,300 | $848/mo | $79,091 | 2.5x | 0.77% |
| Marion County | $158,100 | $813/mo | $63,908 | 2.5x | 0.87% |
| Ralls County | $153,400 | $765/mo | $62,054 | 2.5x | 0.76% |
| Ripley County | $110,800 | $666/mo | $43,898 | 2.5x | 0.50% |
| Saline County | $139,600 | $733/mo | $56,566 | 2.5x | 0.82% |
| Stoddard County | $135,400 | $737/mo | $54,067 | 2.5x | 0.65% |
| Vernon County | $136,700 | $722/mo | $54,519 | 2.5x | 0.71% |
| Buchanan County | $156,600 | $889/mo | $59,423 | 2.6x | 0.80% |
| Gasconade County | $168,900 | $671/mo | $65,096 | 2.6x | 0.73% |
| Lincoln County | $224,800 | $972/mo | $85,276 | 2.6x | 0.77% |
| Moniteau County | $168,300 | $766/mo | $65,161 | 2.6x | 0.72% |
| Randolph County | $141,900 | $742/mo | $55,310 | 2.6x | 0.85% |
| Ray County | $187,400 | $808/mo | $72,152 | 2.6x | 0.82% |
| Shannon County | $151,000 | $509/mo | $59,000 | 2.6x | 0.43% |
| Texas County | $123,300 | $647/mo | $48,055 | 2.6x | 0.53% |
| Wayne County | $113,100 | $632/mo | $43,393 | 2.6x | 0.50% |
| Andrew County | $196,200 | $944/mo | $74,007 | 2.7x | 0.76% |
| Barton County | $136,000 | $777/mo | $49,503 | 2.7x | 0.74% |
| Bates County | $154,800 | $760/mo | $57,914 | 2.7x | 0.62% |
| Callaway County | $196,200 | $850/mo | $72,645 | 2.7x | 0.79% |
| Henry County | $153,500 | $740/mo | $56,621 | 2.7x | 0.80% |
| Jefferson County | $218,800 | $972/mo | $80,522 | 2.7x | 0.84% |
| Madison County | $155,900 | $817/mo | $58,435 | 2.7x | 0.74% |
| Newton County | $175,300 | $777/mo | $64,583 | 2.7x | 0.68% |
| Oregon County | $117,700 | $735/mo | $44,259 | 2.7x | 0.51% |
| Osage County | $205,700 | $644/mo | $75,355 | 2.7x | 0.59% |
| Pettis County | $161,500 | $863/mo | $60,232 | 2.7x | 0.78% |
| Reynolds County | $119,900 | $627/mo | $44,357 | 2.7x | 0.46% |
| Adair County | $159,500 | $782/mo | $56,583 | 2.8x | 0.76% |
| Butler County | $138,800 | $768/mo | $49,213 | 2.8x | 0.67% |
| Dallas County | $151,200 | $685/mo | $53,177 | 2.8x | 0.48% |
| Dent County | $149,700 | $615/mo | $54,306 | 2.8x | 0.56% |
| Jasper County | $158,500 | $904/mo | $57,525 | 2.8x | 0.74% |
| McDonald County | $134,100 | $764/mo | $48,145 | 2.8x | 0.54% |
| Montgomery County | $171,300 | $767/mo | $61,042 | 2.8x | 0.75% |
| St. Francois County | $155,100 | $786/mo | $54,813 | 2.8x | 0.75% |
| Clinton County | $204,300 | $985/mo | $70,625 | 2.9x | 0.86% |
| Cole County | $214,400 | $804/mo | $73,273 | 2.9x | 0.81% |
| Cooper County | $197,100 | $763/mo | $67,548 | 2.9x | 0.68% |
| Crawford County | $166,000 | $807/mo | $56,345 | 2.9x | 0.61% |
| Lawrence County | $159,800 | $785/mo | $55,849 | 2.9x | 0.61% |
| Nodaway County | $165,100 | $754/mo | $55,970 | 2.9x | 0.81% |
| Pulaski County | $189,700 | $1,072/mo | $66,435 | 2.9x | 0.61% |
| St. Charles County | $296,800 | $1,312/mo | $102,912 | 2.9x | 1.13% |
| Cape Girardeau County | $208,300 | $881/mo | $68,912 | 3.0x | 0.67% |
| Clay County | $256,400 | $1,220/mo | $86,150 | 3.0x | 1.10% |
| Franklin County | $214,900 | $874/mo | $71,973 | 3.0x | 0.83% |
| Perry County | $189,400 | $923/mo | $63,356 | 3.0x | 0.72% |
| St. Clair County | $142,500 | $607/mo | $46,731 | 3.0x | 0.64% |
| Barry County | $172,900 | $750/mo | $56,611 | 3.1x | 0.57% |
| Cass County | $269,000 | $1,147/mo | $87,413 | 3.1x | 0.88% |
| Christian County | $249,700 | $979/mo | $81,245 | 3.1x | 0.75% |
| Laclede County | $158,000 | $796/mo | $50,825 | 3.1x | 0.65% |
| Maries County | $193,100 | $594/mo | $61,359 | 3.1x | 0.56% |
| Miller County | $169,800 | $724/mo | $55,172 | 3.1x | 0.63% |
| Monroe County | $147,400 | $667/mo | $48,299 | 3.1x | 0.74% |
| Warren County | $241,200 | $913/mo | $77,989 | 3.1x | 0.74% |
| Webster County | $219,100 | $777/mo | $69,731 | 3.1x | 0.54% |
| Benton County | $164,700 | $823/mo | $52,200 | 3.2x | 0.56% |
| Dade County | $157,200 | $650/mo | $49,899 | 3.2x | 0.65% |
| Howell County | $161,000 | $722/mo | $49,814 | 3.2x | 0.55% |
| Jackson County | $213,300 | $1,151/mo | $67,178 | 3.2x | 1.15% |
| St. Louis County | $260,700 | $1,164/mo | $81,340 | 3.2x | 1.22% |
| Wright County | $152,300 | $558/mo | $47,304 | 3.2x | 0.38% |
| Carter County | $147,600 | $661/mo | $45,083 | 3.3x | 0.44% |
| Douglas County | $164,400 | $687/mo | $49,828 | 3.3x | 0.41% |
| Johnson County | $221,400 | $905/mo | $67,123 | 3.3x | 0.68% |
| Platte County | $317,600 | $1,247/mo | $95,748 | 3.3x | 1.06% |
| Polk County | $189,600 | $792/mo | $56,686 | 3.3x | 0.58% |
| St. Louis city | $185,100 | $978/mo | $55,279 | 3.3x | 1.05% |
| Greene County | $203,500 | $940/mo | $57,488 | 3.5x | 0.72% |
| Hickory County | $123,200 | $699/mo | $35,084 | 3.5x | 0.47% |
| Phelps County | $194,900 | $801/mo | $55,427 | 3.5x | 0.64% |
| Ste. Genevieve County | $215,600 | $774/mo | $61,310 | 3.5x | 0.64% |
| Taney County | $203,800 | $925/mo | $58,258 | 3.5x | 0.58% |
| Boone County | $254,100 | $1,060/mo | $69,913 | 3.6x | 0.88% |
| Cedar County | $162,500 | $783/mo | $45,577 | 3.6x | 0.59% |
| Morgan County | $180,400 | $692/mo | $49,663 | 3.6x | 0.61% |
| Ozark County | $156,400 | $626/mo | $42,329 | 3.7x | 0.47% |
| Stone County | $236,500 | $892/mo | $61,323 | 3.9x | 0.49% |
| Camden County | $270,700 | $838/mo | $62,927 | 4.3x | 0.50% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Missouri by county?
What is the typical rent in Missouri by county?
Which Missouri counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.