Appreciation Velocity — Iowa Cities
Cities of Iowa ranked by 1Y / 3Y / 5Y home-price appreciation.
Public Record
Top 10 — 5Y appreciation (Citys)
#1 · Central City, IA
+3,121.4%
#2 · Coulter, IA
+1,005.1%
#3 · Dixon, IA
+842.5%
#4 · Moulton, IA
+812.9%
#5 · Randalia, IA
+766.7%
#6 · Edgewood, IA
+655.4%
#7 · Council Bluffs, IA
+602.6%
#8 · Monona, IA
+559.6%
#9 · Shenandoah, IA
+539.6%
#10 · Thompson, IA
+513.3%
City ranking — 5Y appreciation (highest first)
| # | City | State | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Current median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central City, IA | IA | +99.2% | — | +3,121.4% | — | $451K |
| 2 | Coulter, IA | IA | — | — | +1,005.1% | — | $305K |
| 3 | Dixon, IA | IA | — | — | +842.5% | +194.5% | $377K |
| 4 | Moulton, IA | IA | — | — | +812.9% | — | $1.75M |
| 5 | Randalia, IA | IA | — | — | +766.7% | — | $260K |
| 6 | Edgewood, IA | IA | +1,788.5% | — | +655.4% | +1,069.0% | $491K |
| 7 | Council Bluffs, IA | IA | +373.7% | +529.7% | +602.6% | +773.1% | $1.14M |
| 8 | Monona, IA | IA | +245.4% | +180.5% | +559.6% | — | $310K |
| 9 | Shenandoah, IA | IA | +179.2% | +190.2% | +539.6% | +379.9% | $379K |
| 10 | Thompson, IA | IA | +1,078.2% | — | +513.3% | — | $460K |
| 11 | Walford, IA | IA | +25.9% | — | +413.3% | — | $385K |
| 12 | Grinnell, IA | IA | +266.0% | +353.0% | +412.7% | +555.9% | $825.7K |
| 13 | Delhi, IA | IA | -26.5% | — | +411.1% | — | $230K |
| 14 | North English, IA | IA | +14.9% | — | +356.7% | +158.1% | $193.3K |
| 15 | Rock Valley, IA | IA | +1,869.7% | — | +333.3% | +412.8% | $650K |
| 16 | Mitchellville, IA | IA | +228.1% | — | +329.8% | +698.4% | $1.04M |
| 17 | Alleman, IA | IA | — | — | +282.2% | +329.2% | $795K |
| 18 | Manson, IA | IA | — | +60.8% | +276.3% | — | $265.3K |
| 19 | Conrad, IA | IA | +55.4% | -12.1% | +270.5% | +86.5% | $307.5K |
| 20 | Eddyville, IA | IA | — | — | +262.5% | -3.6% | $145K |
| 21 | Springville, IA | IA | +327.3% | +211.5% | +261.8% | +917.3% | $864.7K |
| 22 | Eagle Grove, IA | IA | +30.3% | — | +217.6% | +210.8% | $190K |
| 23 | Lone Tree, IA | IA | +118.8% | +24.1% | +214.0% | +444.7% | $350K |
| 24 | Fort Dodge, IA | IA | +148.3% | +247.2% | +213.6% | +272.8% | $402.1K |
| 25 | Lockridge, IA | IA | — | -33.8% | +211.1% | — | $130.7K |
| 26 | Lake Park, IA | IA | +96.7% | +0.3% | +203.0% | +395.1% | $501.7K |
| 27 | Calamus, IA | IA | +293.0% | — | +201.0% | +386.4% | $899.9K |
| 28 | Manchester, IA | IA | +18.7% | +420.5% | +194.7% | -90.1% | $317.5K |
| 29 | Clear Lake, IA | IA | +95.5% | +124.3% | +179.4% | +274.7% | $759.8K |
| 30 | Westside, IA | IA | — | — | +172.5% | +164.8% | $188K |
| 31 | Osage, IA | IA | +72.3% | +235.2% | +172.3% | +42.9% | $300K |
| 32 | Clarion, IA | IA | +164.7% | +32.3% | +170.7% | +107.9% | $198.5K |
| 33 | Norway, IA | IA | -15.9% | — | +170.2% | +98.5% | $192.5K |
| 34 | Milford, IA | IA | +94.4% | +6.2% | +163.9% | +83.7% | $432.5K |
| 35 | Audubon, IA | IA | +17.0% | +40.9% | +163.0% | +104.5% | $170K |
| 36 | Lucas, IA | IA | — | — | +154.6% | +218.5% | $633.8K |
| 37 | Glenwood, IA | IA | +41.0% | — | +154.1% | +4.5% | $309.5K |
| 38 | Akron, IA | IA | +65.9% | +94.2% | +147.7% | — | $279K |
| 39 | Indianola, IA | IA | +21.1% | +80.9% | +145.2% | +193.8% | $467.9K |
| 40 | Stuart, IA | IA | +36.3% | — | +140.5% | +92.5% | $307.5K |
| 41 | Charles City, IA | IA | +64.5% | -8.9% | +139.9% | +160.7% | $241K |
| 42 | Grand Mound, IA | IA | — | — | +136.3% | — | $388.8K |
| 43 | Gilbertville, IA | IA | — | — | +134.1% | +128.7% | $225.3K |
| 44 | Elk Run Heights, IA | IA | +53.2% | — | +130.3% | +52.0% | $190K |
| 45 | Dubuque, IA | IA | -2.9% | -75.2% | +129.0% | +157.0% | $387.8K |
| 46 | Agency, IA | IA | +48.8% | +62.1% | +127.0% | +991.5% | $271.5K |
| 47 | Le Mars, IA | IA | +16.4% | +3.3% | +119.0% | +145.4% | $355K |
| 48 | Treynor, IA | IA | -11.4% | — | +117.4% | — | $350K |
| 49 | Strawberry Point, IA | IA | +14.0% | -66.3% | +113.7% | +132.6% | $162.5K |
| 50 | Ackley, IA | IA | -12.5% | +150.4% | +113.7% | +162.5% | $249K |
| 51 | Lansing, IA | IA | -27.4% | — | +113.1% | +801.6% | $275K |
| 52 | Dyersville, IA | IA | -20.7% | -97.8% | +113.0% | +164.1% | $209.3K |
| 53 | Denver, IA | IA | +361.4% | +182.3% | +112.9% | +161.9% | $437.5K |
| 54 | Granger, IA | IA | -28.2% | +56.3% | +111.7% | +64.4% | $377.5K |
| 55 | State Center, IA | IA | +94.1% | — | +111.3% | +163.2% | $365K |
| 56 | Fairfax, IA | IA | +10.4% | +54.0% | +104.0% | +248.8% | $466K |
| 57 | Peosta, IA | IA | -28.5% | — | +103.7% | +219.5% | $447.3K |
| 58 | Derby, IA | IA | -26.4% | — | +100.0% | — | $120K |
| 59 | Prairie City, IA | IA | +35.8% | +127.9% | +98.2% | +168.7% | $359.3K |
| 60 | DeWitt, IA | IA | -13.3% | — | +95.5% | +30.2% | $268.5K |
| 61 | Polk City, IA | IA | -2.1% | -8.8% | +95.0% | +58.9% | $422.1K |
| 62 | Story City, IA | IA | -19.6% | +199.8% | +93.2% | +80.0% | $261K |
| 63 | Ankeny, IA | IA | +2.6% | +7.4% | +92.9% | +78.7% | $448.3K |
| 64 | Greenfield, IA | IA | -58.0% | +15.6% | +90.3% | +141.6% | $170K |
| 65 | Melcher Dallas, IA | IA | +26.4% | +50.4% | +89.3% | +147.6% | $177K |
| 66 | Stratford, IA | IA | +94.3% | -12.5% | +86.1% | — | $233.2K |
| 67 | New Hartford, IA | IA | +82.9% | -24.1% | +85.7% | +778.4% | $325K |
| 68 | Traer, IA | IA | +31.1% | +27.0% | +83.8% | — | $209.5K |
| 69 | Colfax, IA | IA | +82.8% | +24.5% | +81.4% | +214.8% | $253.8K |
| 70 | Griswold, IA | IA | +11.6% | — | +81.1% | — | $240K |
| 71 | Grimes, IA | IA | -11.3% | +16.4% | +77.0% | +82.3% | $420K |
| 72 | Ellston, IA | IA | +1,624.6% | +31.2% | +77.0% | +86.9% | $440.3K |
| 73 | Harlan, IA | IA | +33.0% | +82.5% | +76.8% | +64.4% | $240K |
| 74 | Lamoni, IA | IA | +78.4% | +4.2% | +76.5% | +282.4% | $200.3K |
| 75 | Cedar Falls, IA | IA | +47.8% | +229.2% | +75.9% | +147.4% | $460.2K |
| 76 | Jefferson, IA | IA | +32.1% | +33.9% | +75.5% | -14.2% | $200K |
| 77 | Saint Charles, IA | IA | -60.3% | -20.2% | +75.1% | — | $300K |
| 78 | West Des Moines, IA | IA | +21.9% | +73.1% | +74.7% | +138.9% | $491.7K |
| 79 | Milo, IA | IA | -20.0% | +0.2% | +73.8% | +23.5% | $186.5K |
| 80 | Huxley, IA | IA | +23.7% | +56.6% | +73.6% | +161.7% | $412.4K |
| 81 | Bondurant, IA | IA | +35.2% | +61.2% | +73.0% | +137.6% | $421.6K |
| 82 | Hudson, IA | IA | -36.5% | -12.5% | +72.5% | -20.5% | $237.5K |
| 83 | Sigourney, IA | IA | +35.0% | +73.3% | +70.9% | +133.9% | $206.3K |
| 84 | Nashua, IA | IA | +58.2% | +365.1% | +70.7% | +225.0% | $269.8K |
| 85 | Kensett, IA | IA | -30.2% | +233.3% | +68.5% | — | $150K |
| 86 | Allison, IA | IA | -42.1% | -44.4% | +67.9% | +26.8% | $117.5K |
| 87 | Vinton, IA | IA | +51.3% | +12.9% | +67.4% | +145.1% | $206.8K |
| 88 | Ruthven, IA | IA | +222.1% | +13.3% | +66.7% | +422.9% | $470K |
| 89 | West Burlington, IA | IA | +72.5% | +49.7% | +66.3% | +63.5% | $205.5K |
| 90 | Roland, IA | IA | -20.2% | +46.2% | +66.2% | +68.2% | $288.7K |
| 91 | Crawfordsville, IA | IA | +21.8% | — | +65.6% | — | $159K |
| 92 | Spirit Lake, IA | IA | +36.8% | +15.5% | +65.5% | +176.6% | $640.7K |
| 93 | Norwalk, IA | IA | -16.1% | -37.7% | +64.6% | +115.6% | $367.4K |
| 94 | Pella, IA | IA | -11.5% | +35.7% | +63.9% | +94.3% | $342.5K |
| 95 | Boone, IA | IA | -13.9% | +75.9% | +62.6% | +66.9% | $210.8K |
| 96 | Keokuk, IA | IA | -27.6% | -12.1% | +61.2% | +96.9% | $113K |
| 97 | Tiffin, IA | IA | -28.2% | -27.7% | +60.5% | +31.2% | $332.6K |
| 98 | Maquoketa, IA | IA | -22.4% | +21.3% | +59.3% | +132.7% | $179.9K |
| 99 | Davenport, IA | IA | +7.2% | +92.8% | +59.2% | +89.2% | $275.9K |
| 100 | Clarinda, IA | IA | -2.8% | -27.3% | +57.1% | +40.8% | $168.5K |
How to read these numbers
Velocity vs. level
A market with 25% one-year appreciation is moving fast — but a market with steady 6% over ten years has compounded much further. Use 10Y as the long-run signal, 1Y as the momentum signal.
Mean-reversion risk
Markets that posted huge 1Y and 3Y gains often cool over the next cycle. Compare 1Y to 5Y: if 1Y is far above 5Y, the trend is accelerating; if far below, it is decelerating — often the more important signal.
Sample sanity
We require a minimum current median price (default $50K) to filter out tiny ZIPs with noisy data. Raise that threshold for serious investment markets; lower it to find emerging niches. Source: public record.