Housing decision brief
Botetourt County, VA Housing Market
Botetourt County screens as a higher 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.
75th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 47th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$268,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$951/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$978/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$27/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$951/mo is 9% below Virginia county median
Rent burden below pressure line
21.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 81.9 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.65% effective property-tax rate is 4% above Virginia county median
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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- 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 Botetourt 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. | $268,900 | $240,900 | $281,900 | 12% pressure12% above Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $951 | $1,043 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $978 | $978 | $1,672 | Near state medianAt the Virginia county median |
Median household income | $80,467 | $66,718 | $74,755 | 21% favorable21% above Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.65% | 0.63% | 1.02% | Near state median4% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.00% | 28.00% | N/A | 25% favorable21.00% 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
+$42,427
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$38,553
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 Botetourt County is affordable. The median rent is $951/month against a median household income of $80,467, putting rent at 14.2% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Botetourt County is $951/month, while owner costs run $978/month. Renting saves approximately $27/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $38,040/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $41,914/year. With a median household income of $80,467, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 21.0% of renter households in Botetourt County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Virginia, Botetourt County is more affordable than Prince Edward County by roughly 6% ($951/mo vs $898/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford County, VA | $276,600 | $955/mo | Same-state comparison near $276,600 home value and $955/mo rent. |
| Augusta County, VA | $281,400 | $1,057/mo | Same-state comparison near $281,400 home value and $1,057/mo rent. |
| Lexington city, VA | $275,300 | $985/mo | Same-state comparison near $275,300 home value and $985/mo rent. |
| Nelson County, VA | $283,000 | $950/mo | Same-state comparison near $283,000 home value and $950/mo rent. |
| Roanoke County, VA | $267,300 | $1,148/mo | Same-state comparison near $267,300 home value and $1,148/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Botetourt County
Is Botetourt County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Botetourt County?
How much income do you need for housing in Botetourt County?
What should I double-check before moving to Botetourt County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.