Iowa Affordability
How affordable is Iowa real estate?
Public Record + Census ACS
Median Home Price
$324.7K
Median Household Income
$70,571
Affordability Index
4.60
vs National Avg
-32.6%
Cities in Iowa by Affordability
| # | City | Median Price | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clinton | $132.2K | 1.87 |
| 2 | Burlington | $164.4K | 2.33 |
| 3 | Waterloo | $188.9K | 2.68 |
| 4 | Mason City | $192.7K | 2.73 |
| 5 | Marshalltown | $199K | 2.82 |
| 6 | Newton | $220.1K | 3.12 |
| 7 | Sioux City | $236.8K | 3.36 |
| 8 | Des Moines | $259.1K | 3.67 |
| 9 | Cedar Rapids | $259.7K | 3.68 |
| 10 | North Liberty | $267.8K | 3.79 |
| 11 | Huxley | $280.1K | 3.97 |
| 12 | Altoona | $284.2K | 4.03 |
| 13 | Davenport | $301.6K | 4.27 |
| 14 | Marion | $314.7K | 4.46 |
| 15 | Pleasant Hill | $319.9K | 4.53 |
| 16 | Urbandale | $322.9K | 4.57 |
| 17 | Iowa City | $322.5K | 4.57 |
| 18 | Coralville | $338.4K | 4.80 |
| 19 | Tiffin | $360.1K | 5.10 |
| 20 | Waukee | $377.7K | 5.35 |
| 21 | Norwalk | $381.5K | 5.41 |
| 22 | Johnston | $388.5K | 5.50 |
| 23 | Adel | $401.9K | 5.69 |
| 24 | Cedar Falls | $442.2K | 6.27 |
| 25 | Bondurant | $481.8K | 6.83 |
| 26 | Grimes | $482.6K | 6.84 |
| 27 | Ankeny | $496.8K | 7.04 |
| 28 | West Des Moines | $568K | 8.05 |
| 29 | Spirit Lake | $747.7K | 10.60 |
| 30 | Council Bluffs | $1.21M | 17.18 |
Methodology
Affordability index = local median home price ÷ state median household income. A value of 4.0 means homes cost 4x annual income (roughly the historical "rule of thumb" ceiling). Higher values = less affordable.
Income figures: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates (state level). Sale prices: MarketTimeline public-record SOLD events, last 12 months.