Housing decision brief
Coos County, NH Housing Market
Coos 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.
1st lowest home value out of 10 New Hampshire counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 10
Median home value
$188,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$876/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$917/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.4%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$41/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
$188,900 median home value is 48% below New Hampshire county median
Lower rent
$876/mo is 32% below New Hampshire county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.40% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$57,677 median income is 35% below New Hampshire county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Coos 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. | $188,900 | $365,200 | $281,900 | 48% favorable48% below New Hampshire county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $876 | $1,289 | $1,163 | 32% favorable32% below New Hampshire county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $917 | $1,522 | $1,672 | 40% favorable40% below New Hampshire county median |
Median household income | $57,677 | $88,416 | $74,755 | 35% pressure35% below New Hampshire county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.89% | 2.00% | 1.02% | 5% favorable5% below New Hampshire county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.40% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median28.40% 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
+$22,637
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,377
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Coos County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $843/month in gross rent, with 28.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Coos County is $843/month, while owner costs run $946/month. Renting saves approximately $103/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $40,543/year. With a median household income of $58,439, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Coos County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within New Hampshire, Coos County is less affordable than Sullivan County by roughly 27% ($843/mo vs $1,159/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beaufort County, NC | $192,700 | $871/mo | Out-of-state peer near $192,700 home value and $871/mo rent. |
| Burke County, NC | $185,400 | $884/mo | Out-of-state peer near $185,400 home value and $884/mo rent. |
| Levy County, FL | $190,600 | $850/mo | Out-of-state peer near $190,600 home value and $850/mo rent. |
| Polk County, GA | $187,600 | $918/mo | Out-of-state peer near $187,600 home value and $918/mo rent. |
| Mayes County, OK | $188,200 | $858/mo | Out-of-state peer near $188,200 home value and $858/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Coos County
Is Coos County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Coos County?
How much income do you need for housing in Coos County?
What should I double-check before moving to Coos County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.