Housing decision brief
Crawford County, IA Housing Market
Crawford County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable 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.
35th lowest home value out of 99 Iowa counties with data | 20th lowest rent out of 99
Median home value
$136,300
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$727/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$865/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.1x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
23.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$138/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$136,300 median home value is 8% below Iowa county median
Lower rent
$727/mo is 9% below Iowa county median
Rent burden below pressure line
23.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$65,039 median income is 5% below 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Crawford 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. | $136,300 | $148,600 | $281,900 | 8% favorable8% below Iowa county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $727 | $800 | $1,163 | 9% favorable9% below Iowa county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $865 | $886 | $1,672 | Near state median2% below Iowa county median |
Median household income | $65,039 | $68,704 | $74,755 | 5% pressure5% below Iowa county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.32% | 1.34% | 1.02% | Near state median1% below 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
+$35,959
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$27,968
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 Crawford County is affordable. The median rent is $727/month against a median household income of $65,039, putting rent at 13.4% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Crawford County pay $727/month on average, compared to $865/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 16%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $29,080/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,071/year. With a median household income of $65,039, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 23.0% of renter households in Crawford County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Crawford County sits 7% less expensive than Appanoose County ($779/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County, IA | $140,600 | $730/mo | Same-state comparison near $140,600 home value and $730/mo rent. |
| Winnebago County, IA | $132,300 | $712/mo | Same-state comparison near $132,300 home value and $712/mo rent. |
| Howard County, IA | $133,900 | $699/mo | Same-state comparison near $133,900 home value and $699/mo rent. |
| Cherokee County, IA | $145,100 | $711/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,100 home value and $711/mo rent. |
| Webster County, IA | $138,500 | $762/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,500 home value and $762/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Crawford County
Is Crawford County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Crawford County?
How much income do you need for housing in Crawford County?
What should I double-check before moving to Crawford County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.