Housing decision brief
Hickory County, MO Housing Market
Hickory 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.
29th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 41st lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$123,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$699/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$606/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
34.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$93/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $30,321 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$123,200 median home value is 21% below Missouri county median
Lower rent
$699/mo is 7% below Missouri county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $93/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 76.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$35,084 median income is 39% below 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 22.6 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 $30,321, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- 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
- 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 Hickory 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. | $123,200 | $156,400 | $281,900 | 21% favorable21% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $699 | $754 | $1,163 | 7% favorable7% below Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $606 | $716 | $1,672 | 15% favorable15% below Missouri county median |
Median household income | $35,084 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 39% pressure39% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.47% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 36% favorable36% below Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 34.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 31% pressure34.00% 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
+$7,124
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$9,113
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Hickory County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $699/month , about 23.9% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Hickory County pay $699/month on average, compared to $606/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 13%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $27,960/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,971/year. With a median household income of $35,084, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 34.0% of renter households in Hickory County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Barry County where rent averages $750/month, Hickory County is approximately 7% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon County, MO | $117,700 | $735/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,700 home value and $735/mo rent. |
| Reynolds County, MO | $119,900 | $627/mo | Same-state comparison near $119,900 home value and $627/mo rent. |
| Ripley County, MO | $110,800 | $666/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,800 home value and $666/mo rent. |
| Texas County, MO | $123,300 | $647/mo | Same-state comparison near $123,300 home value and $647/mo rent. |
| Wayne County, MO | $113,100 | $632/mo | Same-state comparison near $113,100 home value and $632/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $30,321 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hickory County
Is Hickory County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hickory County?
How much income do you need for housing in Hickory County?
What should I double-check before moving to Hickory County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.