Housing decision brief
Pend Oreille County, WA Housing Market
Pend Oreille County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable 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.
14th lowest home value out of 39 Washington counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 39
Median home value
$367,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$855/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$916/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
21.7%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$61/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
$367,900 median home value is 10% below Washington county median
Lower rent
$855/mo is 29% below Washington county median
Rent burden below pressure line
21.70% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$67,436 median income is 9% below 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
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- 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 Pend Oreille 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. | $367,900 | $408,900 | $281,900 | 10% favorable10% below Washington county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $855 | $1,198 | $1,163 | 29% favorable29% below Washington county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $916 | $1,286 | $1,672 | 29% favorable29% below Washington county median |
Median household income | $67,436 | $74,202 | $74,755 | 9% pressure9% below Washington county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.58% | 0.73% | 1.02% | 20% favorable20% below Washington county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 21.70% | 29.30% | N/A | 26% favorable21.70% 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
+$33,236
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,179
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Pend Oreille County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $786/month representing approximately 14.8% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 24.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Pend Oreille County is $786/month, while owner costs run $833/month. Renting saves approximately $47/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,440/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $35,700/year. With a median household income of $63,750, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Pend Oreille County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Stevens County where rent averages $864/month, Pend Oreille County is approximately 9% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stevens County, WA | $350,600 | $898/mo | Same-state comparison near $350,600 home value and $898/mo rent. |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | $396,800 | $853/mo | Same-state comparison near $396,800 home value and $853/mo rent. |
| Pacific County, WA | $334,800 | $1,005/mo | Same-state comparison near $334,800 home value and $1,005/mo rent. |
| Okanogan County, WA | $299,800 | $887/mo | Same-state comparison near $299,800 home value and $887/mo rent. |
| Lincoln County, WA | $292,800 | $883/mo | Same-state comparison near $292,800 home value and $883/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Pend Oreille County
Is Pend Oreille County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pend Oreille County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pend Oreille County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pend Oreille County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.