Housing decision brief
Henry County, MO Housing Market
Henry County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher 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.
54th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 53rd lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$153,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$740/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$815/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$75/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
$153,500 median home value is 2% below Missouri county median
Lower rent
$740/mo is 2% below Missouri county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$56,621 median income is 2% below Missouri county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.80% effective property-tax rate is 9% above Missouri county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 40.9 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.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Henry 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. | $153,500 | $156,400 | $281,900 | Near state median2% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $740 | $754 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $815 | $716 | $1,672 | 14% pressure14% above Missouri county median |
Median household income | $56,621 | $57,488 | $74,755 | Near state median2% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.80% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 9% pressure9% above Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 15% pressure30.00% 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
+$27,021
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,692
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Henry County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $740/month representing approximately 15.7% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
At $740/month rent versus $815/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $75/month cheaper , a 9% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,929/year. With a median household income of $56,621, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Henry County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Missouri, Henry County is less affordable than Polk County by roughly 7% ($740/mo vs $792/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bates County, MO | $154,800 | $760/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,800 home value and $760/mo rent. |
| Adair County, MO | $159,500 | $782/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,500 home value and $782/mo rent. |
| St. Francois County, MO | $155,100 | $786/mo | Same-state comparison near $155,100 home value and $786/mo rent. |
| Nodaway County, MO | $165,100 | $754/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,100 home value and $754/mo rent. |
| Randolph County, MO | $141,900 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,900 home value and $742/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Henry County
Is Henry County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Henry County?
How much income do you need for housing in Henry County?
What should I double-check before moving to Henry County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.