Housing decision brief
St. Francois County, MO Housing Market
St. Francois County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
56th lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 75th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$155,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$786/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$824/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$38/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
$155,100 median home value is 1% below Missouri county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$54,813 median income is 5% below Missouri county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.75% effective property-tax rate is 2% 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 26.9 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
- 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 St. Francois 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. | $155,100 | $156,400 | $281,900 | Near state median1% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $786 | $754 | $1,163 | Near state median4% above Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $824 | $716 | $1,672 | 15% pressure15% above Missouri county median |
Median household income | $54,813 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.75% | 0.74% | 1.02% | Near state median2% above 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
+$23,373
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$19,499
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
St. Francois County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $786/month , about 17.2% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in St. Francois County is $786/month, while owner costs run $824/month. Renting saves approximately $38/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,314/year. With a median household income of $54,813, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in St. Francois County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Missouri, St. Francois County is more affordable than Oregon County by roughly 7% ($786/mo vs $735/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| Bates County, MO | $154,800 | $760/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,800 home value and $760/mo rent. |
| Henry County, MO | $153,500 | $740/mo | Same-state comparison near $153,500 home value and $740/mo rent. |
| Laclede County, MO | $158,000 | $796/mo | Same-state comparison near $158,000 home value and $796/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for St. Francois County
Is St. Francois County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in St. Francois County?
How much income do you need for housing in St. Francois County?
What should I double-check before moving to St. Francois County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.