Housing decision brief
Harrison County, TX Housing Market
Harrison 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.
161st lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 147th lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$178,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$977/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$834/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$143/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 $143/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.02% effective property-tax rate is 2% 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 29.2 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.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- 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 Harrison 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. | $178,200 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 13% pressure13% above Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $977 | $928 | $1,163 | 5% pressure5% above Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $834 | $753 | $1,672 | 11% pressure11% above Texas county median |
Median household income | $66,040 | $63,367 | $74,755 | Near state median4% above Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.02% | 1.00% | 1.02% | Near state median2% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 7% pressure30.00% 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
+$26,960
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,297
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Harrison County is affordable. The median rent is $977/month against a median household income of $66,040, putting rent at 17.8% of income.
Rent vs own
At $977/month rent versus $834/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $143/month cheaper , a 15% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $39,080/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,743/year. With a median household income of $66,040, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Harrison County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Texas, Harrison County is less affordable than Bee County by roughly 5% ($977/mo vs $1,028/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack County, TX | $174,800 | $968/mo | Same-state comparison near $174,800 home value and $968/mo rent. |
| Wharton County, TX | $182,700 | $986/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,700 home value and $986/mo rent. |
| Webb County, TX | $178,900 | $997/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,900 home value and $997/mo rent. |
| Henderson County, TX | $189,600 | $978/mo | Same-state comparison near $189,600 home value and $978/mo rent. |
| Rusk County, TX | $166,900 | $997/mo | Same-state comparison near $166,900 home value and $997/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Harrison County
Is Harrison County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Harrison County?
How much income do you need for housing in Harrison County?
What should I double-check before moving to Harrison County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.