Housing decision brief
Adams County, OH Housing Market
Adams 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.
33rd lowest home value out of 88 Ohio counties with data | 3rd lowest rent out of 88
Median home value
$157,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$700/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$752/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$52/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
$157,500 median home value is 9% below Ohio county median
Lower rent
$700/mo is 16% below Ohio county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$49,521 median income is 24% below Ohio county median
Health context
Health score is 28.1 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Adams 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. | $157,500 | $173,050 | $281,900 | 9% favorable9% below Ohio county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $700 | $833 | $1,163 | 16% favorable16% below Ohio county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $752 | $903 | $1,672 | 17% favorable17% below Ohio county median |
Median household income | $49,521 | $65,182 | $74,755 | 24% pressure24% below Ohio county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.83% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 17% favorable17% below Ohio county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 19% pressure31.00% 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
+$21,521
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$17,292
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Adams County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $700/month representing approximately 17.0% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 31.0%.
Rent vs own
At $700/month rent versus $752/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $52/month cheaper , a 7% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $32,229/year. With a median household income of $49,521, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Adams County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Adams County sits 7% less expensive than Harrison County ($753/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble County, OH | $149,300 | $730/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,300 home value and $730/mo rent. |
| Coshocton County, OH | $142,300 | $723/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,300 home value and $723/mo rent. |
| Pike County, OH | $148,500 | $833/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,500 home value and $833/mo rent. |
| Scioto County, OH | $132,300 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $132,300 home value and $749/mo rent. |
| Guernsey County, OH | $154,100 | $803/mo | Same-state comparison near $154,100 home value and $803/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 Adams County
Is Adams County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Adams County?
How much income do you need for housing in Adams County?
What should I double-check before moving to Adams County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.