Housing decision brief
Lake County, TN Housing Market
Lake 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 95 Tennessee counties with data | 1st lowest rent out of 95
Median home value
$107,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$472/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$559/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$87/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $22,893 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$107,000 median home value is 43% below Tennessee county median
Lower rent
$472/mo is 41% below Tennessee county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$30,500 median income is 47% below Tennessee county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.71% effective property-tax rate is 41% above Tennessee county median
Health context
Health score is 10.6 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $22,893, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
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 Lake 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. | $107,000 | $186,300 | $281,900 | 43% favorable43% below Tennessee county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $472 | $804 | $1,163 | 41% favorable41% below Tennessee county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $559 | $695 | $1,672 | 20% favorable20% below Tennessee county median |
Median household income | $30,500 | $57,408 | $74,755 | 47% pressure47% below Tennessee county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.71% | 0.50% | 1.02% | 41% pressure41% above Tennessee county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 26.00% | N/A | 8% pressure28.00% 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
+$11,620
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$6,543
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 Lake County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $472/month in gross rent, with 28.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Lake County is $472/month, while owner costs run $559/month. Renting saves approximately $87/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $18,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $23,957/year. With a median household income of $30,500, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Lake County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Clay County where rent averages $546/month, Lake County is approximately 14% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County, TN | $118,000 | $592/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,000 home value and $592/mo rent. |
| Jackson County, SD | $111,500 | $460/mo | Out-of-state peer near $111,500 home value and $460/mo rent. |
| Presidio County, TX | $123,100 | $445/mo | Out-of-state peer near $123,100 home value and $445/mo rent. |
| Brooks County, TX | $82,700 | $487/mo | Out-of-state peer near $82,700 home value and $487/mo rent. |
| Greene County, AL | $86,400 | $429/mo | Out-of-state peer near $86,400 home value and $429/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $22,893 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Lake County
Is Lake County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Lake County?
How much income do you need for housing in Lake County?
What should I double-check before moving to Lake County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.