Housing affordability index in Iowa

Housing affordability index in Iowa: puts one number on the housing question: 16.2% of the state's median household income goes to principal and interest on a median-priced home at today's rate.

30-year fixed rate used: 6.76% (observed 2026-09-10, FRED MORTGAGE30US).

Share of income

16.2%

principal + interest

Monthly payment

$968

on a $186,316 home

Median income

$71,553

households, ACS 5-year

Housing affordability index in Iowa: counties ranked, least affordable first
RankCountyShare of incomeMonthly P&I
1Johnson County23.7%$1,443
2Story County21.6%$1,190
3Winneshiek County20.7%$1,171
4Dickinson County20.3%$1,226
5Dallas County19.7%$1,636
6Polk County18.3%$1,205
7Dubuque County17.8%$1,092
8Poweshiek County17.7%$902
9Black Hawk County17.3%$896
10Mills County17.2%$1,171
11Scott County17%$1,028
12Jefferson County16.9%$735
13Sioux County16.8%$1,146
14Madison County16.3%$1,197
15Warren County16.3%$1,217
16Marion County16.2%$999
17Lyon County16.1%$991
18Washington County16%$947
19Iowa County15.7%$912
20Linn County15.6%$981
21Plymouth County15.6%$1,038
22Clayton County15.4%$777
23Pottawattamie County15.4%$880
24Allamakee County15.3%$815
25Clay County15.3%$786
26Jasper County15.1%$851
27Jones County15%$858
28Bremer County14.9%$1,052
29Benton County14.8%$982
30Carroll County14.8%$841
31Clinton County14.8%$753
32Muscatine County14.7%$826
33Cedar County14.6%$939
34Des Moines County14.5%$703
35Henry County14.5%$754
36Jackson County14.5%$842
37Woodbury County14.4%$821
38Cerro Gordo County14.3%$754
39Cherokee County14.2%$755
40Boone County14.1%$891
41Buchanan County14.1%$863
42Mitchell County14.1%$775
43Appanoose County14%$592
44Butler County13.9%$760
45Buena Vista County13.7%$717
46Fayette County13.7%$639
47O'Brien County13.6%$737
48Shelby County13.6%$794
49Cass County13.1%$662
50Greene County13.1%$619
51Ringgold County13.1%$743
52Adair County13%$684
53Chickasaw County13%$788
54Lee County13%$628
55Floyd County12.9%$669
56Mahaska County12.9%$702
57Grundy County12.8%$864
58Delaware County12.7%$803
59Clarke County12.6%$661
60Fremont County12.6%$729
61Guthrie County12.6%$795
62Humboldt County12.6%$698
63Union County12.6%$591
64Harrison County12.5%$790
65Webster County12.4%$677
66Tama County12.3%$672
67Howard County12.2%$650
68Crawford County12.1%$615
69Winnebago County12.1%$632
70Page County12%$584
71Kossuth County11.8%$617
72Wapello County11.7%$550
73Worth County11.6%$678
74Van Buren County11.5%$559
75Audubon County11.3%$519
76Davis County11.3%$729
77Monona County11.3%$565
78Wright County11.3%$547
79Marshall County11.1%$654
80Keokuk County11%$548
81Lucas County10.9%$577
82Decatur County10.8%$504
83Franklin County10.8%$562
84Hamilton County10.8%$603
85Louisa County10.8%$652
86Palo Alto County10.8%$608
87Sac County10.8%$621
88Hancock County10.7%$603
89Ida County10.7%$561
90Osceola County10.6%$596
91Wayne County10.6%$513
92Adams County10.5%$568
93Hardin County10.5%$568
94Monroe County10.5%$665
95Montgomery County10.1%$516
96Calhoun County10%$545
97Emmet County9.9%$533
98Taylor County9.9%$543
99Pocahontas County9.2%$470

Methodology

Every county figure for Iowa uses the county's own median home value and median household income from the Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates, a 20% deposit, and the current 30-year fixed rate from FRED (MORTGAGE30US) amortised over 30 years.

The share shown is annualised principal and interest divided by median household income. Property tax, insurance and HOA dues are excluded so the comparison between counties stays like-for-like.

Counties without both a published home value and a published income are left out entirely rather than filled with an estimate, so the table is shorter than the county list in some states.

Sources: FRED series MORTGAGE30US, Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2022.