Housing decision brief
Montgomery County, IA Housing Market
Montgomery County screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, 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.
8th lowest home value out of 99 Iowa counties with data | 42nd lowest rent out of 99
Median home value
$109,900
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$782/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$737/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
24.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$45/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$109,900 median home value is 26% below Iowa county median
Lower rent
$782/mo is 2% below Iowa county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $45/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,190 median income is 8% below Iowa county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.79% effective property-tax rate is 34% 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
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- 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 Montgomery 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. | $109,900 | $148,600 | $281,900 | 26% favorable26% below Iowa county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $782 | $800 | $1,163 | Near state median2% below Iowa county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $737 | $886 | $1,672 | 17% favorable17% below Iowa county median |
Median household income | $63,190 | $68,704 | $74,755 | 8% pressure8% below Iowa county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.79% | 1.34% | 1.02% | 34% pressure34% above Iowa county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.00% | 25.00% | N/A | Near state median24.00% 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
+$31,910
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$31,604
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Montgomery County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $782/month , about 14.9% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Montgomery County is $782/month, while owner costs run $737/month. Owning saves approximately $45/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $31,586/year. With a median household income of $63,190, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Montgomery County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Iowa, Montgomery County is more affordable than Emmet County by roughly 7% ($782/mo vs $731/mo).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright County, IA | $109,800 | $788/mo | Same-state comparison near $109,800 home value and $788/mo rent. |
| Hardin County, IA | $113,000 | $814/mo | Same-state comparison near $113,000 home value and $814/mo rent. |
| Keokuk County, IA | $112,200 | $822/mo | Same-state comparison near $112,200 home value and $822/mo rent. |
| Monona County, IA | $122,600 | $795/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,600 home value and $795/mo rent. |
| Emmet County, IA | $106,200 | $731/mo | Same-state comparison near $106,200 home value and $731/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Montgomery County
Is Montgomery County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Montgomery County?
How much income do you need for housing in Montgomery County?
What should I double-check before moving to Montgomery County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.