Housing decision brief
Mercer County, MO Housing Market
Mercer 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.
4th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 6th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$95,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$548/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$636/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
20.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$88/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
$95,300 median home value is 39% below Missouri county median
Lower rent
$548/mo is 27% below Missouri county median
Rent burden below pressure line
20.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 87.8 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.95% effective property-tax rate is 29% 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 37.8 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Mercer 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. | $95,300 | $156,400 | $281,900 | 39% favorable39% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $548 | $754 | $1,163 | 27% favorable27% below Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $636 | $716 | $1,672 | 11% favorable11% below Missouri county median |
Median household income | $60,357 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 5% favorable5% above Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.95% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 29% pressure29% above Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 20.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 23% favorable20.00% 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
+$38,437
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$33,100
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Mercer County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $548/month representing approximately 10.9% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 20.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Mercer County pay $548/month on average, compared to $636/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 14%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $21,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,257/year. With a median household income of $60,357, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 20.0% of renter households in Mercer County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to St. Clair County where rent averages $607/month, Mercer County is approximately 10% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atchison County, MO | $100,600 | $595/mo | Same-state comparison near $100,600 home value and $595/mo rent. |
| Putnam County, MO | $111,600 | $575/mo | Same-state comparison near $111,600 home value and $575/mo rent. |
| Chariton County, MO | $118,900 | $540/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,900 home value and $540/mo rent. |
| Shelby County, MO | $86,200 | $570/mo | Same-state comparison near $86,200 home value and $570/mo rent. |
| Knox County, MO | $97,200 | $661/mo | Same-state comparison near $97,200 home value and $661/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Mercer County
Is Mercer County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Mercer County?
How much income do you need for housing in Mercer County?
What should I double-check before moving to Mercer County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.