Alta, IA housing market
The typical Alta home is worth about $217,000, up 1.1% in a year, 10% below the Iowa typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Alta compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Alta at a glance
Only 3 sales in May 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value above is the steadier guide.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Alta | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $133,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $135,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $141,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $151,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $161,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $183,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $198,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $204,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $212,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $215,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $217,000 | $240,000 |
No new homes permitted in 2025
No permits for new homes were issued in Alta in 2025. The last year with any was 2023 (2 new homes).
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Alta gained 204 residents while 37 new homes were permitted: about 5.5 new residents per new home. Population grew faster than building, so existing homes filled up: a sign of tight supply. Across Iowa: 1.3 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 2 | $450,000 |
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $880,000 |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2019 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $375,000 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $850,000 |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $455,000 |
| 2015 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $695,000 |
| 2014 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $450,000 |
| 2013 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $930,000 |
| 2012 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $600,000 |
| 2011 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2010 | 7 | 3 | 4 | $675,000 |
| 2009 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $445,000 |
| 2008 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2007 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $563,000 |
| 2006 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $450,000 |
| 2005 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $425,000 |
| 2004 | 12 | 6 | 6 | $925,000 |
| 2003 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $411,000 |
| 2002 | 3 | 1 | 2 | $195,000 |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $150,000 |
Alta's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
3.3 years of income
The typical Alta home costs about 3.3 years of the town's median household income, about the same as across Iowa (3.2).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,100
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Alta is $1,100 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Alta pay a median of $894, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 20% of the town's median household income.
Studio $830 · 4 bedrooms $1,460
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (51002; Buena Vista County, IA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.