Housing decision brief
Laclede County, MO Housing Market
Laclede County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
62nd lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 78th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$158,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$796/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$826/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$30/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$50,825 median income is 12% below Missouri county median
Health context
Health score is 28.2 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
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
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 Laclede 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. | $158,000 | $156,400 | $281,900 | Near state median1% above Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $796 | $754 | $1,163 | 6% pressure6% above Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $826 | $716 | $1,672 | 15% pressure15% above Missouri county median |
Median household income | $50,825 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 12% pressure12% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.65% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 11% favorable11% below Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% 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
+$18,985
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,425
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 Laclede County is affordable. The median rent is $796/month against a median household income of $50,825, putting rent at 18.8% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Laclede County pay $796/month on average, compared to $826/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 4%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,400/year. With a median household income of $50,825, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Laclede County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lafayette County where rent averages $848/month, Laclede County is approximately 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, MO | $164,700 | $823/mo | Same-state comparison near $164,700 home value and $823/mo rent. |
| St. Francois County, MO | $155,100 | $786/mo | Same-state comparison near $155,100 home value and $786/mo rent. |
| Lawrence County, MO | $159,800 | $785/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,800 home value and $785/mo rent. |
| Adair County, MO | $159,500 | $782/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,500 home value and $782/mo rent. |
| Howell County, MO | $161,000 | $722/mo | Same-state comparison near $161,000 home value and $722/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Laclede County
Is Laclede County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Laclede County?
How much income do you need for housing in Laclede County?
What should I double-check before moving to Laclede County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.