Housing decision brief
Broome County, NY Housing Market
Broome County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
14th lowest home value out of 62 New York counties with data | 24th lowest rent out of 62
Median home value
$145,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$914/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$983/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
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$69/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
$145,100 median home value is 19% below New York county median
Lower rent
$914/mo is 3% below New York county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$61,059 median income is 14% below New York county median
Tax rate needs attention
2.64% effective property-tax rate is 32% above New York county median
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 focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Broome 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. | $145,100 | $179,500 | $281,900 | 19% favorable19% below New York county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $914 | $943 | $1,163 | Near state median3% below New York county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $983 | $1,080 | $1,672 | 9% favorable9% below New York county median |
Median household income | $61,059 | $70,695 | $74,755 | 14% pressure14% below New York county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 2.64% | 2.00% | 1.02% | 32% pressure32% above New York county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median30.00% 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
+$24,499
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,930
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Broome County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $914/month , about 18.0% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
At $914/month rent versus $983/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $69/month cheaper , a 7% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $42,129/year. With a median household income of $61,059, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Broome County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within New York, Broome County is more affordable than Hamilton County by roughly 6% ($914/mo vs $860/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, NY | $141,600 | $921/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,600 home value and $921/mo rent. |
| Seneca County, NY | $142,700 | $925/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,700 home value and $925/mo rent. |
| Fulton County, NY | $156,100 | $883/mo | Same-state comparison near $156,100 home value and $883/mo rent. |
| Oswego County, NY | $139,600 | $943/mo | Same-state comparison near $139,600 home value and $943/mo rent. |
| Cortland County, NY | $158,100 | $911/mo | Same-state comparison near $158,100 home value and $911/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Broome County
Is Broome County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Broome County?
How much income do you need for housing in Broome County?
What should I double-check before moving to Broome County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.