Housing decision brief
Scott County, MO Housing Market
Scott County screens as a below-state 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.
44th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 84th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$143,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$809/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$823/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$14/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$143,700 median home value is 8% below Missouri county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
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 29.0 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
- 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 Scott 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. | $143,700 | $156,400 | $281,900 | 8% favorable8% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $809 | $754 | $1,163 | 7% pressure7% above Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $823 | $716 | $1,672 | 15% pressure15% above Missouri county median |
Median household income | $58,847 | $57,488 | $74,755 | Near state median2% above Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.65% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 12% favorable12% below Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 26.00% | N/A | Near state median26.00% 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
+$26,487
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$23,576
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Scott County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $809/month , about 16.5% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Scott County is $809/month, while owner costs run $823/month. Renting saves approximately $14/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,271/year. With a median household income of $58,847, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Scott County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Missouri, Scott County is less affordable than Pettis County by roughly 6% ($809/mo vs $863/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, MO | $145,300 | $807/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,300 home value and $807/mo rent. |
| Madison County, MO | $155,900 | $817/mo | Same-state comparison near $155,900 home value and $817/mo rent. |
| Livingston County, MO | $138,300 | $747/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,300 home value and $747/mo rent. |
| Bates County, MO | $154,800 | $760/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,800 home value and $760/mo rent. |
| Randolph County, MO | $141,900 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,900 home value and $742/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 2 active sites in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Scott County
Is Scott County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Scott County?
How much income do you need for housing in Scott County?
What should I double-check before moving to Scott County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.