CostBy County

Cost of Living in Ness County, Kansas

$538/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$89,700
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$538/mo
33% below state average
Median Home Value
$89,700
73% below national
Census GRAPI
14.6%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Ness County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Ness County$538/mo
Kansas Average$802/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$538/mo
Median Gross Rent
$89,700
Median Home Value
$731/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
14.6%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Ness County ranks #415 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 13%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Ness County Official Rent-to-Income Median Percentage is 14.6%

Ness County, Kansas, reported an official Gross Rent as a Percentage of Household Income (GRAPI) of 14.6% in the 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates. This official B25071 metric is 10.0 percentage points below the Kansas unweighted county mean official GRAPI of 24.6%. The GRAPI measures the median gross rent as a percentage of household income among those residing in renter-occupied housing units. The median gross rent for the county was $538 per month, which is lower than the Kansas unweighted county mean of $802. The median renter-household income was estimated at $46,250. For homeowners, the median home value was $89,700, while the state unweighted county mean was $138,825. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $731, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $861. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Ness County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 14.6% of renter household income in Ness County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $538 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $731. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $21,520 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Kansas unweighted mean of county median rents is $802 per month. Ness County's $538 median is 32.9% below that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Ness County

$

Rent Burden

9.4%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,601

per month

Owner Cost Burden

12.8%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Ness County

Median home value is $89,700. Estimated monthly cost: $716 vs. your max of $1,601.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income9.4%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $68,616Needed: $21,520
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $68,616Needed: $31,329
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $68,616Needed: $20,876

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Ness County, Kansas?
Ness County, Kansas has a median monthly rent of $538/mo and a median home value of $89,700. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 14.6% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Ness County?
The median gross rent in Ness County is $538/mo. This is 33% below state average for Kansas.
Is Ness County affordable?
Ness County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 14.6%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Ness County's rent compare to the state average?
Ness County's median rent of $538/mo is 33% below state average of $802/mo for Kansas.
What is the median home value in Ness County?
The median home value in Ness County, Kansas is $89,700. This is 73% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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