Carmen: Housing & Real Estate
Carmen homes sell at a median $52,700 (estimated market value runs 8% higher at $56,681), with median rent $688 (about the same as Alfalfa County median $705; 1.5× below Oklahoma median $1,014). Homeownership rate: 62.1%. That's 1.9× below the Alfalfa County median ($101,500); 3.8× below the Oklahoma median ($199,800). Market is warm. Vacancy rate 31.2%. New construction makes up 1.1% of stock. A municipal building code is in effect.
- 1.4× annual income — home value vs. household income (vs Oklahoma 3.3×).
- 6.4 years to break even renting at the median (vs Oklahoma 16y).
- 4-BR rent is 2.2× a studio — rent gradient by unit size.
- Median rent 26% below HUD 2-BR FMR — local market vs federal subsidy benchmark.
Home Values & Rent
Median home value $52,700 — 0.3× the Oklahoma median ($205,300). Median rent $688/month. homeownership rate 62.1% — below the U.S. share of ~65%.
| Affordability · Home Price To Income | 1.4× |
|---|---|
| Affordability · Home Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Rent Pct Income | 20.8% |
| Affordability · Rent Affordability | affordable |
| Affordability · Pct Severely Rent Burdened | 53.2% |
| Affordability · Poverty Rate | 34.2% |
| Affordability · Property Tax Pct Income | 0.8% |
| Fair Market Rent · Studio rent | $705 (vs Oklahoma $933) |
| Fair Market Rent · One-bedroom rent | $714 (vs Oklahoma $987) |
| Fair Market Rent · Two-bedroom rent | $937 (vs Oklahoma $1,217) |
| Fair Market Rent · Three-bedroom rent | $1,303 (vs Oklahoma $1,602) |
| Fair Market Rent · Four-bedroom rent | $1,572 (vs Oklahoma $1,857) |
| Fair Market Rent · HUD FMR area | Alfalfa County, OK |
| Fair Market Rent · Fiscal year | FY2026 |
| Home Value Estimate | $56,681 |
| Median Home Value | $52,700 (vs Oklahoma $205,300) |
| Median Rent | $688 (vs Oklahoma $1,052) |
Sources: HUD FMR FY2026 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023, B25077 · Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Tenure & Occupancy
Owner-occupied vs renter-occupied housing units, plus vacancy rates.
| Housing Market · Market temperature | warm |
|---|---|
| Housing Market · Vacancy rate | 31.2% |
| Housing Market · New construction (% of stock) | 1.1% |
| Housing Market · Price Appreciation 2Yr | 10.9% |
Utilities
Electricity, water, and broadband infrastructure serving residents. Broadband percentages reflect the share of premises that can subscribe to service at the listed speed (FCC Form 477).
Systems (1)
| Broadband · % of premises with 25/3 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Oklahoma median) |
|---|---|
| Broadband · % of premises with 100/20 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Oklahoma median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 250/25 Mbps broadband | 100.0% (at Oklahoma median) |
| Broadband · % of premises with 1 Gbps / 100 Mbps broadband | 0.3% (vs Oklahoma 78.9%) |
| Broadband · Broadband-capable premises | 308 |
| Electricity · Electricity rate (¢/kWh) | 12.24¢/kWh |
| Electricity · Customers | 1878818 |
| Electricity · Revenue Millions | $2,977 |
| Electricity · Year | 2024 |
| Mobile Broadband · 3G mobile coverage | 0.000000000 |
| Mobile Broadband · 4G mobile coverage | 1.000000000 (at Oklahoma median) |
| Mobile Broadband · 5G mobile coverage | 1.000000000 (at Oklahoma median) |
Sources: FCC BDC Jun 2025 · EIA Annual Retail Sales 2023 · FCC BDC Mobile 2024 · Refreshed 2026-04-12
Other
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% (vs Oklahoma 58.6%) |
|---|---|
| Median Year Built | 1952 |
Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023 · Refreshed 2026-04-12