Housing decision brief
Louisa County, IA Housing Market
Louisa 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.
37th lowest home value out of 99 Iowa counties with data | 48th lowest rent out of 99
Median home value
$137,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$797/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$872/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
1.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
19.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$75/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
$137,600 median home value is 7% below Iowa county median
Lower rent
$797/mo is At the Iowa county median
Rent burden below pressure line
19.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 82.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- 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 Louisa 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. | $137,600 | $148,600 | $281,900 | 7% favorable7% below Iowa county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $797 | $800 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Iowa county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $872 | $886 | $1,672 | Near state median2% below Iowa county median |
Median household income | $80,223 | $68,704 | $74,755 | 17% favorable17% above Iowa county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.27% | 1.34% | 1.02% | 5% favorable5% below Iowa county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 19.00% | 25.00% | N/A | 24% favorable19.00% 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
+$48,343
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$42,852
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Louisa County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $797/month , about 11.9% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Louisa County is $797/month, while owner costs run $872/month. Renting saves approximately $75/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $37,371/year. With a median household income of $80,223, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 19.0% of renter households in Louisa County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Ringgold County where rent averages $745/month, Louisa County is approximately 7% more expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, IA | $135,900 | $787/mo | Same-state comparison near $135,900 home value and $787/mo rent. |
| Davis County, IA | $146,000 | $878/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,000 home value and $878/mo rent. |
| Marshall County, IA | $134,100 | $860/mo | Same-state comparison near $134,100 home value and $860/mo rent. |
| Worth County, IA | $142,300 | $703/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,300 home value and $703/mo rent. |
| Mahaska County, IA | $140,900 | $821/mo | Same-state comparison near $140,900 home value and $821/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Louisa County
Is Louisa County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Louisa County?
How much income do you need for housing in Louisa County?
What should I double-check before moving to Louisa County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.