This report looks at today’s housing crisis in rural areas, with a focus on low-income homeownership. It relies on a case study of Perry County and surrounding areas in Eastern Kentucky, which is a low-income rural area in the Appalachian Mountains that has historically relied on coal mining jobs. Drawing on in-depth interviews and on-site observations, it highlights distinct challenges to low-income homeownership and promising policy solutions for rural communities. While rural communities vary widely across the United States and Perry County is not representative of all these places, this up-close study helps us better understand common rural housing challenges, why they have emerged, and how residents and communities are responding.