Housing decision brief
Hale County, TX Housing Market
Hale 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.
62nd lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 65th lowest rent out of 249
Median home value
$116,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$836/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$640/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.1%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$196/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$116,500 median home value is 31% below Texas county median
Lower rent
$836/mo is 13% below Texas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.10% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $196/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$51,897 median income is 20% below Texas county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.31% effective property-tax rate is 31% 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 9.5 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
- 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
- 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 Hale 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. | $116,500 | $169,250 | $281,900 | 31% favorable31% below Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $836 | $957 | $1,163 | 13% favorable13% below Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $640 | $786 | $1,672 | 19% favorable19% below Texas county median |
Median household income | $51,897 | $65,035 | $74,755 | 20% pressure20% below Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.31% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 31% pressure31% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.10% | 27.70% | N/A | Near state median28.10% 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
+$18,457
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,468
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Hale County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $798/month representing approximately 18.1% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 26.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Hale County is $798/month, while owner costs run $634/month. Owning saves approximately $164/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,920/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,171/year. With a median household income of $52,788, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Hale County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Hale County sits 7% more expensive than Falls County ($747/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity County, TX | $119,500 | $856/mo | Same-state comparison near $119,500 home value and $856/mo rent. |
| Jim Wells County, TX | $123,600 | $938/mo | Same-state comparison near $123,600 home value and $938/mo rent. |
| Stephens County, TX | $110,200 | $846/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,200 home value and $846/mo rent. |
| Morris County, TX | $120,400 | $859/mo | Same-state comparison near $120,400 home value and $859/mo rent. |
| Eastland County, TX | $134,800 | $866/mo | Same-state comparison near $134,800 home value and $866/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Hale County
Is Hale County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Hale County?
How much income do you need for housing in Hale County?
What should I double-check before moving to Hale County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.