Appreciation Velocity — Iowa Cities
Cities of Iowa ranked by 1Y / 3Y / 5Y home-price appreciation.
Public Record
Top 10 — 5Y appreciation (Countys)
#1 · Pottawattamie, IA
+589.4%
#2 · Delaware, IA
+283.4%
#3 · Franklin, IA
+207.7%
#4 · Page, IA
+197.5%
#5 · Appanoose, IA
+169.0%
#6 · Calhoun, IA
+159.3%
#7 · Taylor, IA
+159.2%
#8 · Audubon, IA
+153.9%
#9 · Winnebago, IA
+153.0%
#10 · Webster, IA
+148.8%
County ranking — 5Y appreciation (highest first)
| # | County | State | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y | Current median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pottawattamie, IA | IA | +380.3% | +478.3% | +589.4% | +767.0% | $1.13M |
| 2 | Delaware, IA | IA | +44.0% | +229.4% | +283.4% | -84.9% | $387.8K |
| 3 | Franklin, IA | IA | +150.7% | +335.7% | +207.7% | +279.6% | $305K |
| 4 | Page, IA | IA | +77.2% | +51.1% | +197.5% | +163.3% | $273.8K |
| 5 | Appanoose, IA | IA | +249.1% | +65.4% | +169.0% | +723.6% | $594.6K |
| 6 | Calhoun, IA | IA | +234.4% | +70.6% | +159.3% | +308.2% | $265.3K |
| 7 | Taylor, IA | IA | +89.6% | +74.6% | +159.2% | +317.3% | $204.5K |
| 8 | Audubon, IA | IA | +24.7% | +18.6% | +153.9% | +120.0% | $170K |
| 9 | Winnebago, IA | IA | +222.1% | — | +153.0% | +193.9% | $294.3K |
| 10 | Webster, IA | IA | +135.9% | +292.5% | +148.8% | +266.6% | $384.3K |
| 11 | Hardin, IA | IA | +20.0% | +68.8% | +144.9% | +75.1% | $249K |
| 12 | Ringgold, IA | IA | +292.9% | +213.4% | +135.8% | +111.7% | $440.3K |
| 13 | Palo Alto, IA | IA | +87.7% | -40.8% | +125.8% | +145.8% | $320K |
| 14 | Allamakee, IA | IA | +12.8% | -25.4% | +117.0% | +185.5% | $255.8K |
| 15 | Plymouth, IA | IA | +26.2% | +5.7% | +116.0% | +154.1% | $317K |
| 16 | Tama, IA | IA | +35.8% | +62.2% | +113.8% | +119.5% | $209.5K |
| 17 | Dubuque, IA | IA | -2.6% | -79.1% | +100.0% | +167.7% | $381.6K |
| 18 | Sioux, IA | IA | -3.5% | -8.0% | +96.8% | +80.6% | $267.9K |
| 19 | Keokuk, IA | IA | -3.0% | +81.1% | +88.4% | +52.9% | $170.8K |
| 20 | Shelby, IA | IA | +51.4% | +54.1% | +86.0% | +64.7% | $240K |
| 21 | Mitchell, IA | IA | +42.1% | +195.6% | +82.7% | +21.7% | $292.8K |
| 22 | Floyd, IA | IA | +6.7% | -33.6% | +82.4% | +128.5% | $175.7K |
| 23 | Greene, IA | IA | +17.8% | +34.9% | +79.1% | -12.2% | $200K |
| 24 | Chickasaw, IA | IA | +50.2% | +59.0% | +78.9% | -12.2% | $249.8K |
| 25 | Warren, IA | IA | +2.3% | -26.4% | +78.8% | +129.4% | $369.9K |
| 26 | Dickinson, IA | IA | +12.3% | +1.9% | +75.8% | +154.6% | $582.2K |
| 27 | Poweshiek, IA | IA | +69.1% | +35.3% | +74.3% | +143.5% | $310.4K |
| 28 | Cerro Gordo, IA | IA | +18.5% | +28.1% | +71.4% | +105.5% | $291.6K |
| 29 | Kossuth, IA | IA | -28.3% | +29.8% | +67.5% | +70.2% | $192K |
| 30 | Clinton, IA | IA | +28.8% | +22.6% | +65.9% | +56.8% | $220.9K |
| 31 | Marion, IA | IA | -2.5% | +12.2% | +62.1% | +95.1% | $257K |
| 32 | O'Brien, IA | IA | -20.0% | -24.8% | +55.6% | +67.9% | $176.8K |
| 33 | Cass, IA | IA | +37.2% | +112.7% | +55.2% | +109.2% | $233.1K |
| 34 | Polk, IA | IA | +4.2% | -0.2% | +53.9% | +87.0% | $369.3K |
| 35 | Decatur, IA | IA | +35.3% | +19.6% | +53.8% | +62.6% | $200.3K |
| 36 | Marshall, IA | IA | +3.2% | +54.0% | +52.2% | +77.7% | $194K |
| 37 | Crawford, IA | IA | -13.9% | -4.6% | +51.7% | +94.0% | $176.3K |
| 38 | Hamilton, IA | IA | -5.7% | +13.0% | +49.8% | +75.4% | $216.1K |
| 39 | Mills, IA | IA | +9.5% | +5.1% | +49.3% | +151.1% | $309.5K |
| 40 | Washington, IA | IA | -30.2% | -30.3% | +48.7% | +46.1% | $182K |
| 41 | Boone, IA | IA | -32.5% | +15.5% | +48.1% | +82.5% | $222K |
| 42 | Dallas, IA | IA | -17.9% | -31.2% | +43.5% | +96.6% | $466.1K |
| 43 | Jones, IA | IA | -11.5% | -31.3% | +42.7% | +61.4% | $223.6K |
| 44 | Wright, IA | IA | +8.7% | -11.0% | +42.2% | +37.0% | $126.8K |
| 45 | Lyon, IA | IA | -11.4% | +47.6% | +42.0% | +42.2% | $287K |
| 46 | Clay, IA | IA | +14.6% | -0.4% | +38.4% | +118.0% | $252.5K |
| 47 | Black Hawk, IA | IA | +9.8% | +0.9% | +38.3% | +62.4% | $242.3K |
| 48 | Story, IA | IA | -6.9% | +24.5% | +38.2% | +40.2% | $288.4K |
| 49 | Madison, IA | IA | -19.2% | -0.2% | +35.3% | +74.4% | $288.2K |
| 50 | Grundy, IA | IA | -31.5% | +2.8% | +34.9% | +21.2% | $181.2K |
| 51 | Montgomery, IA | IA | +33.6% | -2.5% | +34.3% | +192.5% | $215.8K |
| 52 | Clayton, IA | IA | +1.7% | -28.1% | +31.3% | +88.2% | $165.2K |
| 53 | Lee, IA | IA | -28.4% | -9.1% | +28.5% | +54.9% | $116.9K |
| 54 | Muscatine, IA | IA | -25.3% | -47.6% | +26.2% | +32.3% | $202.9K |
| 55 | Scott, IA | IA | -10.2% | +20.1% | +24.3% | +39.6% | $279.4K |
| 56 | Clarke, IA | IA | +18.4% | +28.8% | +23.0% | +149.9% | $219.3K |
| 57 | Harrison, IA | IA | -29.6% | -46.3% | +22.9% | +53.1% | $146.9K |
| 58 | Des Moines, IA | IA | -12.9% | +36.0% | +20.7% | +29.2% | $149K |
| 59 | Iowa, IA | IA | -16.9% | -24.7% | +19.9% | +95.2% | $189.2K |
| 60 | Cedar, IA | IA | +26.5% | +14.9% | +18.2% | +104.4% | $238.8K |
| 61 | Jasper, IA | IA | +11.4% | +43.1% | +18.1% | +101.3% | $235.4K |
| 62 | Emmet, IA | IA | -21.9% | -14.9% | +17.5% | +22.9% | $127.5K |
| 63 | Adair, IA | IA | -53.3% | -6.3% | +14.7% | +110.8% | $148.3K |
| 64 | Louisa, IA | IA | -22.5% | -44.3% | +12.6% | +4.1% | $141.5K |
| 65 | Linn, IA | IA | -16.2% | +41.7% | +10.0% | +76.9% | $296.2K |
| 66 | Henry, IA | IA | -24.2% | -7.0% | +7.7% | +40.9% | $147.3K |
| 67 | Johnson, IA | IA | -32.6% | -11.4% | +5.1% | +12.5% | $302.8K |
| 68 | Butler, IA | IA | +10.2% | +8.4% | +3.3% | +91.6% | $180.9K |
| 69 | Jefferson, IA | IA | +7.3% | +24.5% | +3.0% | +32.3% | $200.6K |
| 70 | Monroe, IA | IA | +47.6% | +52.0% | +2.2% | +301.0% | $245K |
| 71 | Woodbury, IA | IA | -33.0% | -35.6% | +0.4% | +15.6% | $159.7K |
| 72 | Benton, IA | IA | -25.0% | -11.0% | +0.1% | +38.7% | $156.9K |
| 73 | Hancock, IA | IA | -16.3% | +5.9% | -0.8% | +117.7% | $162.5K |
| 74 | Union, IA | IA | -21.8% | -15.7% | -1.9% | +72.7% | $165.3K |
| 75 | Mahaska, IA | IA | -4.4% | -0.8% | -3.4% | +38.4% | $166.1K |
| 76 | Lucas, IA | IA | -31.4% | +89.0% | -5.7% | +66.5% | $145.7K |
| 77 | Osceola, IA | IA | -2.7% | -39.5% | -6.3% | -2.2% | $135K |
| 78 | Sac, IA | IA | -30.5% | +50.1% | -6.4% | +20.2% | $120.5K |
| 79 | Carroll, IA | IA | -31.0% | -14.9% | -9.9% | +26.1% | $142.8K |
| 80 | Worth, IA | IA | -26.2% | +3.0% | -17.4% | +89.5% | $105K |
| 81 | Wapello, IA | IA | -18.1% | +0.2% | -19.8% | +43.5% | $136.3K |
| 82 | Winneshiek, IA | IA | -49.9% | -71.1% | -26.0% | +20.0% | $195.9K |
| 83 | Bremer, IA | IA | -38.7% | -66.1% | -33.1% | +15.6% | $150.5K |
| 84 | Wayne, IA | IA | -25.1% | +342.6% | -33.4% | +188.0% | $110.7K |
| 85 | Guthrie, IA | IA | -57.3% | -58.2% | -37.6% | -25.1% | $125K |
| 86 | Fremont, IA | IA | -47.4% | -0.8% | -46.4% | +67.1% | $117K |
| 87 | Fayette, IA | IA | -18.9% | -13.1% | -65.8% | +23.9% | $117.8K |
| 88 | Davis, IA | IA | -64.1% | -62.5% | -78.9% | -56.6% | $66K |
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.