Housing decision brief
Dallas County, MO Housing Market
Dallas 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.
51st lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 36th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$151,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$685/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$656/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$29/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $38,948 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$151,200 median home value is 3% below Missouri county median
Lower rent
$685/mo is 9% below Missouri county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $29/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$53,177 median income is 7% below Missouri county median
Health context
Health score is 23.5 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $38,948, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- 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 Dallas 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. | $151,200 | $156,400 | $281,900 | Near state median3% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $685 | $754 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $656 | $716 | $1,672 | 8% favorable8% below Missouri county median |
Median household income | $53,177 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.48% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 35% favorable35% below Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 8% pressure28.00% 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
+$25,777
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,063
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Dallas County is affordable. The median rent is $685/month against a median household income of $53,177, putting rent at 15.5% of income.
Rent vs own
At $685/month rent versus $656/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $29/month cheaper , a 4% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $27,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $28,114/year. With a median household income of $53,177, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Dallas County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Dallas County sits 7% less expensive than Stoddard County ($737/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dent County, MO | $149,700 | $615/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,700 home value and $615/mo rent. |
| Bollinger County, MO | $142,400 | $677/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,400 home value and $677/mo rent. |
| Monroe County, MO | $147,400 | $667/mo | Same-state comparison near $147,400 home value and $667/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, MO | $164,400 | $687/mo | Same-state comparison near $164,400 home value and $687/mo rent. |
| Dade County, MO | $157,200 | $650/mo | Same-state comparison near $157,200 home value and $650/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $38,948 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Dallas County
Is Dallas County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Dallas County?
How much income do you need for housing in Dallas County?
What should I double-check before moving to Dallas County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.