Housing decision brief
Pepin County, WI Housing Market
Pepin 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.
26th lowest home value out of 72 Wisconsin counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 72
Median home value
$196,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$860/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$991/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.6x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$131/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
$196,100 median home value is 6% below Wisconsin county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 92.8 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
1.47% effective property-tax rate is 47% 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Pepin 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. | $196,100 | $209,350 | $281,900 | 6% favorable6% below Wisconsin county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $860 | $860 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Wisconsin county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $991 | $1,027 | $1,672 | Near state median4% below Wisconsin county median |
Median household income | $74,536 | $70,947 | $74,755 | 5% favorable5% above Wisconsin county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.47% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 47% pressure47% above Wisconsin county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 25.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$40,136
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$32,065
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 Pepin County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $860/month in gross rent, with 24.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $860/month rent versus $991/month in owner costs, renting is roughly $131/month cheaper , a 13% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $42,471/year. With a median household income of $74,536, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Pepin County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Pepin County sits 6% more expensive than Crawford County ($809/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waupaca County, WI | $192,800 | $834/mo | Same-state comparison near $192,800 home value and $834/mo rent. |
| Douglas County, WI | $190,400 | $903/mo | Same-state comparison near $190,400 home value and $903/mo rent. |
| Trempealeau County, WI | $203,300 | $887/mo | Same-state comparison near $203,300 home value and $887/mo rent. |
| Buffalo County, WI | $197,600 | $822/mo | Same-state comparison near $197,600 home value and $822/mo rent. |
| Lafayette County, WI | $182,100 | $835/mo | Same-state comparison near $182,100 home value and $835/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Pepin County
Is Pepin County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pepin County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pepin County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pepin County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.