Housing decision brief
Zavala County, TX Housing Market
Zavala 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.
26th lowest home value out of 250 Texas counties with data | 6th lowest rent out of 246
Median home value
$88,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$544/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$583/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$39/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
2 notes
Home-value estimate has a $18,761 ACS margin of error.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$88,100 median home value is 44% below Texas county median
Lower rent
$544/mo is 41% below Texas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$41,887 median income is 34% below Texas county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.42% effective property-tax rate is 42% above Texas county median
Health context
Health score is 5.2 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.
Wide home-value margin
The ACS margin of error on home value is $18,761, so exact rankings should be read as directional.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- 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
- 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 Zavala 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. | $88,100 | $158,050 | $281,900 | 44% favorable44% below Texas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $544 | $928 | $1,163 | 41% favorable41% below Texas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $583 | $753 | $1,672 | 23% favorable23% below Texas county median |
Median household income | $41,887 | $63,367 | $74,755 | 34% pressure34% below Texas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.42% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 42% pressure42% above Texas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median27.00% 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
+$20,127
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$16,901
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Zavala County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $544/month , about 15.6% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Zavala County is $544/month, while owner costs run $583/month. Renting saves approximately $39/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $21,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,986/year. With a median household income of $41,887, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 27.0% of renter households in Zavala County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Brooks County where rent averages $487/month, Zavala County is approximately 12% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapata County, TX | $88,800 | $569/mo | Same-state comparison near $88,800 home value and $569/mo rent. |
| Foard County, TX | $71,400 | $577/mo | Same-state comparison near $71,400 home value and $577/mo rent. |
| Baylor County, TX | $93,300 | $685/mo | Same-state comparison near $93,300 home value and $685/mo rent. |
| Hall County, TX | $80,200 | $610/mo | Same-state comparison near $80,200 home value and $610/mo rent. |
| Briscoe County, TX | $82,900 | $692/mo | Same-state comparison near $82,900 home value and $692/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Home-value estimate has a $18,761 ACS margin of error.
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Zavala County
Is Zavala County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Zavala County?
How much income do you need for housing in Zavala County?
What should I double-check before moving to Zavala County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.