Housing decision brief
Gilliam County, OR Housing Market
Gilliam 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.
1st lowest home value out of 36 Oregon counties with data | 17th lowest rent out of 36
Median home value
$158,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,084/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$646/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$438/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
$158,400 median home value is 57% below Oregon county median
Lower rent
$1,084/mo is 5% below Oregon county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $438/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 97.3 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$64,219 median income is 5% below Oregon county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.01% effective property-tax rate is 1% above Oregon 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- 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 Gilliam 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. | $158,400 | $369,300 | $281,900 | 57% favorable57% below Oregon county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,084 | $1,140 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Oregon county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $646 | $1,123 | $1,672 | 42% favorable42% below Oregon county median |
Median household income | $64,219 | $67,628 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Oregon county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.01% | 1.00% | 1.02% | Near state median1% above Oregon county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 14% favorable25.00% 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
+$20,859
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$36,533
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 Gilliam County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,084/month in gross rent, with 25.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Gilliam County pay $1,084/month on average, compared to $646/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 40%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $43,360/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,686/year. With a median household income of $64,219, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Gilliam County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lincoln County where rent averages $1,150/month, Gilliam County is approximately 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, TX | $159,600 | $1,079/mo | Out-of-state peer near $159,600 home value and $1,079/mo rent. |
| Liberty County, TX | $167,100 | $1,038/mo | Out-of-state peer near $167,100 home value and $1,038/mo rent. |
| Wyandotte County, KS | $152,700 | $1,070/mo | Out-of-state peer near $152,700 home value and $1,070/mo rent. |
| Winnebago County, IL | $155,100 | $986/mo | Out-of-state peer near $155,100 home value and $986/mo rent. |
| Palo Pinto County, TX | $167,300 | $1,024/mo | Out-of-state peer near $167,300 home value and $1,024/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Gilliam County
Is Gilliam County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Gilliam County?
How much income do you need for housing in Gilliam County?
What should I double-check before moving to Gilliam County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.