Housing decision brief
El Paso County, TX Housing Market
El Paso County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
145th lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 183rd lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$167,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,045/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,000/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
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$45/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $45/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$58,859 median income is 7% below Texas county median
Tax rate needs attention
2.09% effective property-tax rate is 109% above Texas county median
Health context
Health score is 23.3 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.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
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 El Paso 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. | $167,300 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 6% pressure6% above Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,045 | $928 | $1,163 | 13% pressure13% above Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,000 | $753 | $1,672 | 33% pressure33% above Texas county median |
Median household income | $58,859 | $63,367 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 2.09% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 109% pressure109% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 11% pressure31.00% 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
+$17,059
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$16,002
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 El Paso County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $1,045/month in gross rent, with 31.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in El Paso County pay $1,045/month on average, compared to $1,000/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 4%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $41,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $42,857/year. With a median household income of $58,859, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in El Paso County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Fannin County where rent averages $994/month, El Paso County is approximately 5% more 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navarro County, TX | $159,900 | $1,039/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,900 home value and $1,039/mo rent. |
| Anderson County, TX | $173,400 | $1,006/mo | Same-state comparison near $173,400 home value and $1,006/mo rent. |
| Jefferson County, TX | $159,600 | $1,079/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,600 home value and $1,079/mo rent. |
| Liberty County, TX | $167,100 | $1,038/mo | Same-state comparison near $167,100 home value and $1,038/mo rent. |
| Milam County, TX | $168,900 | $948/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,900 home value and $948/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for El Paso County
Is El Paso County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in El Paso County?
How much income do you need for housing in El Paso County?
What should I double-check before moving to El Paso County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.