Housing decision brief
Cerro Gordo County, IA Housing Market
Cerro Gordo County screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher 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.
53rd lowest home value out of 99 Iowa counties with data | 67th lowest rent out of 99
Median home value
$154,100
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$840/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$886/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$46/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$65,537 median income is 5% below Iowa county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.50% effective property-tax rate is 12% above Iowa county median
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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- 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 Cerro Gordo 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. | $154,100 | $148,600 | $281,900 | Near state median4% above Iowa county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $840 | $800 | $1,163 | 5% pressure5% above Iowa county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $886 | $886 | $1,672 | Near state medianAt the Iowa county median |
Median household income | $65,537 | $68,704 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Iowa county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.50% | 1.34% | 1.02% | 12% pressure12% above Iowa county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 23.00% | 25.00% | N/A | 8% favorable23.00% 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
+$31,937
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,566
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 Cerro Gordo County is affordable. The median rent is $840/month against a median household income of $65,537, putting rent at 15.4% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Cerro Gordo County pay $840/month on average, compared to $886/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 5%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $33,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,971/year. With a median household income of $65,537, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Cerro Gordo County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Cerro Gordo County sits 7% more expensive than Wright County ($788/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County, IA | $153,800 | $825/mo | Same-state comparison near $153,800 home value and $825/mo rent. |
| Clarke County, IA | $160,200 | $836/mo | Same-state comparison near $160,200 home value and $836/mo rent. |
| Buena Vista County, IA | $146,900 | $835/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,900 home value and $835/mo rent. |
| Shelby County, IA | $156,200 | $810/mo | Same-state comparison near $156,200 home value and $810/mo rent. |
| Henry County, IA | $148,600 | $770/mo | Same-state comparison near $148,600 home value and $770/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Cerro Gordo County
Is Cerro Gordo County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Cerro Gordo County?
How much income do you need for housing in Cerro Gordo County?
What should I double-check before moving to Cerro Gordo County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.