Housing decision brief
Castro County, TX Housing Market
Castro 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.
38th lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 115th lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$94,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$910/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$564/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$346/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
3 notes
Home-value estimate has a $23,254 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$94,900 median home value is 40% below Texas county median
Lower rent
$910/mo is 2% below Texas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
21.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $346/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.12% effective property-tax rate is 12% above Texas county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 22.2 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 $23,254, 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Castro 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. | $94,900 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 40% favorable40% below Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $910 | $928 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $564 | $753 | $1,672 | 25% favorable25% below Texas county median |
Median household income | $63,485 | $63,367 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.12% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 12% pressure12% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 25% favorable21.00% 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
+$27,085
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$39,314
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 Castro County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $910/month in gross rent, with 21.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Castro County pay $910/month on average, compared to $564/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 38%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $36,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,171/year. With a median household income of $63,485, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 21.0% of renter households in Castro County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Lampasas County where rent averages $961/month, Castro County is approximately 5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jones County, TX | $92,700 | $938/mo | Same-state comparison near $92,700 home value and $938/mo rent. |
| Runnels County, TX | $103,700 | $894/mo | Same-state comparison near $103,700 home value and $894/mo rent. |
| Hutchinson County, TX | $102,200 | $852/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,200 home value and $852/mo rent. |
| Scurry County, TX | $110,800 | $913/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,800 home value and $913/mo rent. |
| Refugio County, TX | $94,400 | $842/mo | Same-state comparison near $94,400 home value and $842/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $23,254 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
- Water-quality monitoring is based on 1 active site in recent WQP data.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Castro County
Is Castro County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Castro County?
How much income do you need for housing in Castro County?
What should I double-check before moving to Castro County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.