Housing decision brief
Kent County, RI Housing Market
Kent 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 5 Rhode Island counties with data | 2nd lowest rent out of 5
Median home value
$333,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,264/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,775/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$511/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
$333,900 median home value is 29% below Rhode Island county median
Lower rent
$1,264/mo is 3% below Rhode Island county median
What to Check
Lower income base
$91,278 median income is 9% below Rhode Island county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.47% effective property-tax rate is 7% above Rhode Island 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
- 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 Kent 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. | $333,900 | $468,000 | $281,900 | 29% favorable29% below Rhode Island county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,264 | $1,303 | $1,163 | Near state median3% below Rhode Island county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,775 | $1,837 | $1,672 | Near state median3% below Rhode Island county median |
Median household income | $91,278 | $100,859 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% below Rhode Island county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.47% | 1.37% | 1.02% | 7% pressure7% above Rhode Island county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 30.00% | 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
+$40,718
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,207
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Kent County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,264/month , about 16.6% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Kent County is $1,264/month, while owner costs run $1,775/month. Renting saves approximately $511/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $50,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $76,071/year. With a median household income of $91,278, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Kent County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Bristol County where rent averages $1,348/month, Kent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County, RI | $339,100 | $1,242/mo | Same-state comparison near $339,100 home value and $1,242/mo rent. |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK | $319,200 | $1,258/mo | Out-of-state peer near $319,200 home value and $1,258/mo rent. |
| Merrimack County, NH | $330,600 | $1,293/mo | Out-of-state peer near $330,600 home value and $1,293/mo rent. |
| Addison County, VT | $333,700 | $1,201/mo | Out-of-state peer near $333,700 home value and $1,201/mo rent. |
| Isle of Wight County, VA | $333,600 | $1,313/mo | Out-of-state peer near $333,600 home value and $1,313/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Kent County
Is Kent County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Kent County?
How much income do you need for housing in Kent County?
What should I double-check before moving to Kent County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.