Housing decision brief
Grays Harbor County, WA Housing Market
Grays Harbor 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.
8th lowest home value out of 39 Washington counties with data | 12th lowest rent out of 39
Median home value
$279,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,018/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,061/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
4.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$43/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$279,500 median home value is 25% below Washington county median
Lower rent
$1,018/mo is 9% below Washington county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,539 median income is 11% below Washington county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.87% effective property-tax rate is 11% above Washington 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Grays Harbor 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. | $279,500 | $370,500 | $281,900 | 25% favorable25% below Washington county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,018 | $1,119 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Washington county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,061 | $1,221 | $1,672 | 13% favorable13% below Washington county median |
Median household income | $63,539 | $71,528 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below Washington county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.87% | 0.79% | 1.02% | 11% pressure11% above Washington county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 29.00% | 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
+$22,819
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,068
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 Grays Harbor County is affordable. The median rent is $1,018/month against a median household income of $63,539, putting rent at 19.2% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Grays Harbor County pay $1,018/month on average, compared to $1,061/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 4%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $40,720/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $45,471/year. With a median household income of $63,539, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Grays Harbor County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Grays Harbor County sits 6% more expensive than Pacific County ($962/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific County, WA | $274,000 | $962/mo | Same-state comparison near $274,000 home value and $962/mo rent. |
| Yakima County, WA | $281,100 | $1,068/mo | Same-state comparison near $281,100 home value and $1,068/mo rent. |
| Asotin County, WA | $286,200 | $994/mo | Same-state comparison near $286,200 home value and $994/mo rent. |
| Grant County, WA | $275,700 | $1,059/mo | Same-state comparison near $275,700 home value and $1,059/mo rent. |
| Okanogan County, WA | $284,200 | $868/mo | Same-state comparison near $284,200 home value and $868/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Grays Harbor County
Is Grays Harbor County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Grays Harbor County?
How much income do you need for housing in Grays Harbor County?
What should I double-check before moving to Grays Harbor County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.