Housing decision brief
Linn County, MO Housing Market
Linn 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.
18th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 14th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$117,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$612/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$626/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.9x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$14/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
$117,300 median home value is 25% below Missouri county median
Lower rent
$612/mo is 19% below Missouri county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.77% effective property-tax rate is 4% above Missouri county median
Health context
Health score is 37.3 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Linn 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. | $117,300 | $156,400 | $281,900 | 25% favorable25% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $612 | $754 | $1,163 | 19% favorable19% below Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $626 | $716 | $1,672 | 13% favorable13% below Missouri county median |
Median household income | $61,975 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 8% favorable8% above Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.77% | 0.74% | 1.02% | Near state median4% above Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 8% favorable24.00% 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
+$37,495
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$35,146
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 Linn County is affordable. The median rent is $612/month against a median household income of $61,975, putting rent at 11.8% of income.
Rent vs own
At $612/month rent versus $626/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $14/month cheaper , a 2% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $24,480/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $26,829/year. With a median household income of $61,975, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Linn County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Linn County sits 8% less expensive than Harrison County ($666/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gentry County, MO | $123,000 | $620/mo | Same-state comparison near $123,000 home value and $620/mo rent. |
| Chariton County, MO | $118,900 | $540/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,900 home value and $540/mo rent. |
| Putnam County, MO | $111,600 | $575/mo | Same-state comparison near $111,600 home value and $575/mo rent. |
| Lewis County, MO | $118,900 | $627/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,900 home value and $627/mo rent. |
| Atchison County, MO | $100,600 | $595/mo | Same-state comparison near $100,600 home value and $595/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Linn County
Is Linn County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Linn County?
How much income do you need for housing in Linn County?
What should I double-check before moving to Linn County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.