Housing decision brief
Jack County, TX Housing Market
Jack 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.
153rd lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 142nd lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$174,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$968/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$735/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
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$233/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $47,423 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $233/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 88.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.30% effective property-tax rate is 30% 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 27.3 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $47,423, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
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 Jack 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. | $174,800 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 11% pressure11% above Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $968 | $928 | $1,163 | Near state median4% above Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $735 | $753 | $1,672 | Near state median2% below Texas county median |
Median household income | $65,693 | $63,367 | $74,755 | Near state median4% above Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.30% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 30% pressure30% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median28.00% 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
+$26,973
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,193
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 Jack County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $968/month in gross rent, with 28.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
Renters in Jack County pay $968/month on average, compared to $735/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 24%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,500/year. With a median household income of $65,693, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Jack County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Texas, Jack County is less affordable than Kleberg County by roughly 5% ($968/mo vs $1,022/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County, TX | $178,200 | $977/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,200 home value and $977/mo rent. |
| Wharton County, TX | $182,700 | $986/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,700 home value and $986/mo rent. |
| DeWitt County, TX | $167,200 | $955/mo | Same-state comparison near $167,200 home value and $955/mo rent. |
| Webb County, TX | $178,900 | $997/mo | Same-state comparison near $178,900 home value and $997/mo rent. |
| Rusk County, TX | $166,900 | $997/mo | Same-state comparison near $166,900 home value and $997/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $47,423 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Jack County
Is Jack County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Jack County?
How much income do you need for housing in Jack County?
What should I double-check before moving to Jack County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.