Housing decision brief
Sterling County, TX Housing Market
Sterling County screens as a below-state 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.
105th lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 143rd lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$143,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$968/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,041/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
40.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$73/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $63,465 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$143,200 median home value is 9% below Texas county median
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 98.9 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.07% effective property-tax rate is 7% above Texas county median
Health context
Health score is 38.8 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 $63,465, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- 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
- 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 Sterling 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. | $143,200 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 9% favorable9% below 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. | $1,041 | $753 | $1,672 | 38% pressure38% above Texas county median |
Median household income | $78,750 | $63,367 | $74,755 | 24% favorable24% above Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.07% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 7% pressure7% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 40.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 43% pressure40.00% 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
+$40,030
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$34,136
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Sterling County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $968/month representing approximately 14.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 40.0%.
Rent vs own
At $968/month rent versus $1,041/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $73/month cheaper , a 7% difference.
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 $44,614/year. With a median household income of $78,750, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 40.0% of renter households in Sterling County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Kleberg County where rent averages $1,022/month, Sterling 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson County, TX | $140,600 | $933/mo | Same-state comparison near $140,600 home value and $933/mo rent. |
| Ward County, TX | $138,800 | $939/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,800 home value and $939/mo rent. |
| Pecos County, TX | $142,900 | $973/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,900 home value and $973/mo rent. |
| Howard County, TX | $150,300 | $993/mo | Same-state comparison near $150,300 home value and $993/mo rent. |
| Oldham County, TX | $144,800 | $1,125/mo | Same-state comparison near $144,800 home value and $1,125/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $63,465 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Sterling County
Is Sterling County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Sterling County?
How much income do you need for housing in Sterling County?
What should I double-check before moving to Sterling County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.