Housing decision brief
Phelps County, MO Housing Market
Phelps 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.
88th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 79th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$194,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$801/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$796/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
32.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$5/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $5/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$55,427 median income is 4% below Missouri county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 34.2 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
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 Phelps 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. | $194,900 | $156,400 | $281,900 | 25% pressure25% above Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $801 | $754 | $1,163 | 6% pressure6% above Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $796 | $716 | $1,672 | 11% pressure11% above Missouri county median |
Median household income | $55,427 | $57,488 | $74,755 | Near state median4% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.64% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 13% favorable13% below Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 32.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 23% pressure32.00% 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
+$23,387
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$21,313
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 Phelps County is affordable. The median rent is $801/month against a median household income of $55,427, putting rent at 17.3% of income.
Rent vs own
At $801/month rent versus $796/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $5/month cheaper , a 1% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,040/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,114/year. With a median household income of $55,427, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 32.0% of renter households in Phelps County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Phelps County sits 7% more expensive than Barry County ($750/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, MO | $189,600 | $792/mo | Same-state comparison near $189,600 home value and $792/mo rent. |
| Crawford County, MO | $166,000 | $807/mo | Same-state comparison near $166,000 home value and $807/mo rent. |
| Barry County, MO | $172,900 | $750/mo | Same-state comparison near $172,900 home value and $750/mo rent. |
| Lawrence County, MO | $159,800 | $785/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,800 home value and $785/mo rent. |
| Ste. Genevieve County, MO | $215,600 | $774/mo | Same-state comparison near $215,600 home value and $774/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Phelps County
Is Phelps County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Phelps County?
How much income do you need for housing in Phelps County?
What should I double-check before moving to Phelps County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.