County housing intelligence
Iowa Housing Market by County
Iowa is not one housing market. Across 99 counties, the median county home value is $160,600 and the median county rent is $820/mo. The useful question is not whether Iowa is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$160,600
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$820/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
99
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Iowa Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Dallas County, Johnson County, Dickinson County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Pocahontas County, Ida County, Wayne County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Dallas County, Polk County, Johnson County lead on rent, while Decatur County, Van Buren County, Palo Alto County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Pocahontas County, Ida County, Palo Alto County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Pocahontas County
$98,100
- 2. Ida County
$108,900
- 3. Wayne County
$111,300
- 4. Decatur County
$113,900
- 5. Emmet County
$114,100
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Pocahontas County
1.6x home-value-to-income
- 2. Ida County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 3. Palo Alto County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 4. Taylor County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 5. Adams County
1.8x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Decatur County
$611/mo
- 2. Van Buren County
$622/mo
- 3. Palo Alto County
$638/mo
- 4. Wayne County
$659/mo
- 5. Iowa County
$686/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Sac County
17.5% rent burden
- 2. Plymouth County
18.4% rent burden
- 3. Ida County
19.1% rent burden
- 4. Worth County
19.2% rent burden
- 5. Franklin County
19.4% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Lyon County
0.87% effective tax rate
- 2. Dickinson County
0.92% effective tax rate
- 3. O'Brien County
0.98% effective tax rate
- 4. Cherokee County
0.99% effective tax rate
- 5. Kossuth County
1.00% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Pocahontas County
$189/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Adams County
$126/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Monona County
$100/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Kossuth County
$61/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Wapello County
$61/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Palo Alto County
$72,781 income, 1.7x value-to-income
- 2. Worth County
$78,008 income, 1.9x value-to-income
- 3. Louisa County
$77,354 income, 1.9x value-to-income
- 4. Adams County
$71,875 income, 1.8x value-to-income
- 5. Taylor County
$67,740 income, 1.7x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Pocahontas County $98,100 home value, $61,875 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Wayne County $111,300 home value, 1.36% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Osceola County $797/mo rent, 35.40% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Dallas County $355,600 home value, $102,379 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Iowa County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocahontas County | $98,100 | $832/mo | $61,875 | 1.6x | 1.13% |
| Ida County | $108,900 | $696/mo | $63,073 | 1.7x | 1.16% |
| Palo Alto County | $123,200 | $638/mo | $72,781 | 1.7x | 1.20% |
| Taylor County | $117,200 | $765/mo | $67,740 | 1.7x | 1.26% |
| Adams County | $131,600 | $893/mo | $71,875 | 1.8x | 1.26% |
| Calhoun County | $118,800 | $723/mo | $64,964 | 1.8x | 1.32% |
| Emmet County | $114,100 | $733/mo | $63,730 | 1.8x | 1.47% |
| Osceola County | $122,600 | $797/mo | $69,239 | 1.8x | 1.13% |
| Wayne County | $111,300 | $659/mo | $61,964 | 1.8x | 1.36% |
| Wright County | $119,600 | $790/mo | $67,190 | 1.8x | 1.51% |
| Decatur County | $113,900 | $611/mo | $59,044 | 1.9x | 1.61% |
| Hardin County | $122,500 | $795/mo | $65,069 | 1.9x | 1.37% |
| Keokuk County | $118,700 | $828/mo | $62,329 | 1.9x | 1.26% |
| Louisa County | $150,100 | $775/mo | $77,354 | 1.9x | 1.17% |
| Lucas County | $120,200 | $709/mo | $61,793 | 1.9x | 1.37% |
| Montgomery County | $121,400 | $814/mo | $63,666 | 1.9x | 1.65% |
| Sac County | $141,400 | $722/mo | $73,838 | 1.9x | 1.10% |
| Van Buren County | $114,600 | $622/mo | $61,161 | 1.9x | 1.18% |
| Wapello County | $125,100 | $920/mo | $64,766 | 1.9x | 1.58% |
| Worth County | $145,800 | $758/mo | $78,008 | 1.9x | 1.10% |
| Hancock County | $141,400 | $736/mo | $70,601 | 2.0x | 1.18% |
| Marshall County | $145,500 | $885/mo | $73,315 | 2.0x | 1.42% |
| Winnebago County | $135,000 | $717/mo | $67,642 | 2.0x | 1.32% |
| Audubon County | $121,900 | $759/mo | $58,229 | 2.1x | 1.34% |
| Davis County | $161,900 | $868/mo | $77,194 | 2.1x | 1.40% |
| Floyd County | $143,500 | $745/mo | $68,557 | 2.1x | 1.34% |
| Franklin County | $124,100 | $696/mo | $59,894 | 2.1x | 1.32% |
| Monona County | $142,900 | $855/mo | $68,377 | 2.1x | 1.03% |
| Ringgold County | $156,200 | $710/mo | $73,346 | 2.1x | 1.34% |
| Tama County | $148,600 | $872/mo | $70,781 | 2.1x | 1.37% |
| Union County | $122,000 | $721/mo | $57,772 | 2.1x | 1.80% |
| Buchanan County | $176,000 | $848/mo | $78,236 | 2.2x | 1.36% |
| Buena Vista County | $159,500 | $894/mo | $71,719 | 2.2x | 1.21% |
| Butler County | $165,400 | $812/mo | $73,715 | 2.2x | 1.35% |
| Cherokee County | $158,700 | $758/mo | $71,269 | 2.2x | 0.99% |
| Clarke County | $161,100 | $931/mo | $71,641 | 2.2x | 1.60% |
| Des Moines County | $136,500 | $904/mo | $62,928 | 2.2x | 1.51% |
| Fremont County | $154,400 | $746/mo | $71,621 | 2.2x | 1.21% |
| Hamilton County | $156,400 | $877/mo | $72,432 | 2.2x | 1.26% |
| Harrison County | $176,000 | $849/mo | $79,535 | 2.2x | 1.32% |
| Howard County | $147,800 | $713/mo | $67,446 | 2.2x | 1.25% |
| Humboldt County | $155,800 | $744/mo | $71,946 | 2.2x | 1.29% |
| Kossuth County | $148,300 | $859/mo | $67,697 | 2.2x | 1.00% |
| Mahaska County | $157,800 | $793/mo | $70,940 | 2.2x | 1.32% |
| Monroe County | $156,300 | $798/mo | $70,996 | 2.2x | 1.37% |
| Page County | $125,300 | $705/mo | $57,953 | 2.2x | 1.41% |
| Webster County | $153,800 | $785/mo | $68,975 | 2.2x | 1.39% |
| Appanoose County | $124,200 | $784/mo | $54,934 | 2.3x | 1.34% |
| Crawford County | $153,700 | $743/mo | $67,027 | 2.3x | 1.28% |
| Fayette County | $136,800 | $881/mo | $60,165 | 2.3x | 1.30% |
| Grundy County | $198,800 | $774/mo | $87,205 | 2.3x | 1.14% |
| Guthrie County | $180,100 | $845/mo | $77,711 | 2.3x | 1.22% |
| Lee County | $141,400 | $835/mo | $62,382 | 2.3x | 1.38% |
| Shelby County | $164,000 | $783/mo | $72,738 | 2.3x | 1.28% |
| Adair County | $160,400 | $799/mo | $68,092 | 2.4x | 1.28% |
| Allamakee County | $172,300 | $796/mo | $70,694 | 2.4x | 1.27% |
| Benton County | $208,200 | $826/mo | $86,962 | 2.4x | 1.31% |
| Carroll County | $176,000 | $731/mo | $72,930 | 2.4x | 1.09% |
| Cass County | $150,300 | $777/mo | $63,013 | 2.4x | 1.34% |
| Cerro Gordo County | $166,400 | $850/mo | $68,189 | 2.4x | 1.45% |
| Chickasaw County | $182,600 | $738/mo | $75,675 | 2.4x | 1.02% |
| Clinton County | $160,600 | $850/mo | $66,981 | 2.4x | 1.53% |
| Delaware County | $177,900 | $764/mo | $74,989 | 2.4x | 1.34% |
| Henry County | $164,300 | $820/mo | $67,436 | 2.4x | 1.56% |
| Jackson County | $175,000 | $807/mo | $74,186 | 2.4x | 1.23% |
| Boone County | $212,400 | $845/mo | $83,531 | 2.5x | 1.37% |
| Bremer County | $219,600 | $921/mo | $86,784 | 2.5x | 1.29% |
| Clayton County | $168,500 | $790/mo | $67,242 | 2.5x | 1.29% |
| Greene County | $155,400 | $781/mo | $63,409 | 2.5x | 1.15% |
| Jones County | $184,800 | $784/mo | $73,531 | 2.5x | 1.33% |
| Mitchell County | $175,100 | $738/mo | $71,365 | 2.5x | 1.10% |
| O'Brien County | $173,100 | $868/mo | $68,356 | 2.5x | 0.98% |
| Woodbury County | $183,200 | $981/mo | $73,658 | 2.5x | 1.45% |
| Cedar County | $211,300 | $879/mo | $80,602 | 2.6x | 1.22% |
| Jasper County | $186,300 | $836/mo | $71,311 | 2.6x | 1.41% |
| Mills County | $237,800 | $959/mo | $90,753 | 2.6x | 1.47% |
| Muscatine County | $182,100 | $971/mo | $69,396 | 2.6x | 1.50% |
| Clay County | $178,600 | $811/mo | $65,428 | 2.7x | 1.15% |
| Iowa County | $193,900 | $686/mo | $71,223 | 2.7x | 1.36% |
| Jefferson County | $163,400 | $883/mo | $61,620 | 2.7x | 1.41% |
| Madison County | $245,100 | $1,036/mo | $90,855 | 2.7x | 1.48% |
| Plymouth County | $228,900 | $910/mo | $83,251 | 2.7x | 1.07% |
| Pottawattamie County | $195,700 | $1,018/mo | $73,602 | 2.7x | 1.57% |
| Washington County | $203,900 | $879/mo | $75,647 | 2.7x | 1.37% |
| Black Hawk County | $188,900 | $989/mo | $66,417 | 2.8x | 1.50% |
| Linn County | $214,300 | $945/mo | $77,649 | 2.8x | 1.66% |
| Scott County | $222,000 | $1,005/mo | $78,277 | 2.8x | 1.47% |
| Sioux County | $250,100 | $908/mo | $86,098 | 2.9x | 1.12% |
| Warren County | $269,600 | $973/mo | $94,588 | 2.9x | 1.43% |
| Lyon County | $230,000 | $843/mo | $76,746 | 3.0x | 0.87% |
| Marion County | $233,000 | $884/mo | $78,680 | 3.0x | 1.22% |
| Dubuque County | $237,300 | $959/mo | $77,630 | 3.1x | 1.23% |
| Polk County | $262,100 | $1,149/mo | $83,576 | 3.1x | 1.68% |
| Poweshiek County | $209,300 | $883/mo | $67,391 | 3.1x | 1.22% |
| Winneshiek County | $259,200 | $861/mo | $79,066 | 3.3x | 1.12% |
| Dallas County | $355,600 | $1,311/mo | $102,379 | 3.5x | 1.41% |
| Dickinson County | $270,700 | $922/mo | $75,432 | 3.6x | 0.92% |
| Story County | $258,700 | $1,018/mo | $69,685 | 3.7x | 1.40% |
| Johnson County | $308,600 | $1,122/mo | $74,935 | 4.1x | 1.52% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Iowa by county?
What is the typical rent in Iowa by county?
Which Iowa counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.