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
$189,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,125/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$671/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.8%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$454/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $54,196 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$189,300 median home value is 51% below Oregon county median
Lower rent
$1,125/mo is 5% below Oregon county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.80% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $454/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
$66,917 median income is 2% 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $54,196, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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. | $189,300 | $388,050 | $281,900 | 51% favorable51% below Oregon county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,125 | $1,187 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Oregon county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $671 | $1,132 | $1,672 | 41% favorable41% below Oregon county median |
Median household income | $66,917 | $68,417 | $74,755 | Near state median2% 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. | 24.80% | 30.00% | N/A | 17% favorable24.80% 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
+$21,917
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$38,160
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman County, OR | $211,800 | $1,032/mo | Same-state comparison near $211,800 home value and $1,032/mo rent. |
| Pulaski County, MO | $189,800 | $1,112/mo | Out-of-state peer near $189,800 home value and $1,112/mo rent. |
| Jackson County, MS | $193,100 | $1,101/mo | Out-of-state peer near $193,100 home value and $1,101/mo rent. |
| Lea County, NM | $184,000 | $1,101/mo | Out-of-state peer near $184,000 home value and $1,101/mo rent. |
| Wharton County, TX | $189,900 | $1,046/mo | Out-of-state peer near $189,900 home value and $1,046/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $54,196 ACS margin of error.
- 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.