Housing decision brief
Carbon County, WY Housing Market
Carbon 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.
6th lowest home value out of 23 Wyoming counties with data | 11th lowest rent out of 23
Median home value
$214,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$894/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$812/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$82/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
$214,500 median home value is 18% below Wyoming county median
Lower rent
$894/mo is 2% below Wyoming county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $82/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$66,721 median income is 6% below Wyoming county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 41.3 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
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
- 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 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 Carbon 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. | $214,500 | $260,400 | $281,900 | 18% favorable18% below Wyoming county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $894 | $913 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Wyoming county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $812 | $938 | $1,672 | 13% favorable13% below Wyoming county median |
Median household income | $66,721 | $70,855 | $74,755 | 6% pressure6% below Wyoming county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.56% | 0.57% | 1.02% | Near state median1% below Wyoming county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 25.00% | N/A | Near state median25.00% 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
+$30,961
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,921
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 Carbon County is affordable. The median rent is $894/month against a median household income of $66,721, putting rent at 16.1% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Carbon County pay $894/month on average, compared to $812/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 9%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $35,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $34,800/year. With a median household income of $66,721, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Carbon County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Wyoming, Carbon County is less affordable than Sheridan County by roughly 6% ($894/mo vs $950/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs County, WY | $214,400 | $976/mo | Same-state comparison near $214,400 home value and $976/mo rent. |
| Big Horn County, WY | $198,200 | $876/mo | Same-state comparison near $198,200 home value and $876/mo rent. |
| Fremont County, WY | $252,700 | $858/mo | Same-state comparison near $252,700 home value and $858/mo rent. |
| Goshen County, WY | $234,600 | $759/mo | Same-state comparison near $234,600 home value and $759/mo rent. |
| Sweetwater County, WY | $242,900 | $913/mo | Same-state comparison near $242,900 home value and $913/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Carbon County
Is Carbon County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Carbon County?
How much income do you need for housing in Carbon County?
What should I double-check before moving to Carbon County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.