Housing decision brief
Florence County, WI Housing Market
Florence 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.
11th lowest home value out of 72 Wisconsin counties with data | 39th lowest rent out of 72
Median home value
$170,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$871/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$773/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
22.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$98/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$170,000 median home value is 19% below Wisconsin county median
Rent burden below pressure line
22.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $98/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$62,786 median income is 12% below Wisconsin county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.31% effective property-tax rate is 31% above Wisconsin county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- 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
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- 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 Florence 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. | $170,000 | $209,350 | $281,900 | 19% favorable19% below Wisconsin county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $871 | $860 | $1,163 | Near state median1% above Wisconsin county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $773 | $1,027 | $1,672 | 25% favorable25% below Wisconsin county median |
Median household income | $62,786 | $70,947 | $74,755 | 12% pressure12% below Wisconsin county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.31% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 31% pressure31% above Wisconsin county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 22.00% | 25.00% | N/A | 12% favorable22.00% 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
+$27,946
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$29,657
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Florence County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $871/month in gross rent, with 22.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Florence County is $871/month, while owner costs run $773/month. Owning saves approximately $98/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $33,129/year. With a median household income of $62,786, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Florence County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Winnebago County where rent averages $924/month, Florence County is approximately 6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juneau County, WI | $165,200 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $165,200 home value and $847/mo rent. |
| Wood County, WI | $168,100 | $831/mo | Same-state comparison near $168,100 home value and $831/mo rent. |
| Crawford County, WI | $175,100 | $809/mo | Same-state comparison near $175,100 home value and $809/mo rent. |
| Richland County, WI | $182,800 | $786/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,800 home value and $786/mo rent. |
| Grant County, WI | $186,300 | $812/mo | Same-state comparison near $186,300 home value and $812/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Florence County
Is Florence County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Florence County?
How much income do you need for housing in Florence County?
What should I double-check before moving to Florence County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.