Housing decision brief
Washington County, MO Housing Market
Washington County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
22nd lowest home value out of 115 Missouri counties with data | 35th lowest rent out of 115
Median home value
$118,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$680/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$599/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$81/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$118,400 median home value is 24% below Missouri county median
Lower rent
$680/mo is 10% below Missouri county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $81/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$51,886 median income is 10% below 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 16.8 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- 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 Washington 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. | $118,400 | $156,400 | $281,900 | 24% favorable24% below Missouri county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $680 | $754 | $1,163 | 10% favorable10% below Missouri county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $599 | $716 | $1,672 | 16% favorable16% below Missouri county median |
Median household income | $51,886 | $57,488 | $74,755 | 10% pressure10% below Missouri county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.58% | 0.74% | 1.02% | 22% favorable22% below Missouri county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 15% pressure30.00% 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
+$24,686
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$26,215
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Washington County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $680/month representing approximately 15.7% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 30.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Washington County pay $680/month on average, compared to $599/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 12%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $27,200/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,671/year. With a median household income of $51,886, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Washington County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Daviess County where rent averages $731/month, Washington County is approximately 7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County, MO | $113,000 | $671/mo | Same-state comparison near $113,000 home value and $671/mo rent. |
| Lewis County, MO | $118,900 | $627/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,900 home value and $627/mo rent. |
| Audrain County, MO | $121,600 | $698/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,600 home value and $698/mo rent. |
| Grundy County, MO | $107,000 | $679/mo | Same-state comparison near $107,000 home value and $679/mo rent. |
| Harrison County, MO | $107,400 | $666/mo | Same-state comparison near $107,400 home value and $666/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Washington County
Is Washington County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Washington County?
How much income do you need for housing in Washington County?
What should I double-check before moving to Washington County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.