Clear Lake, IA housing market
The typical Clear Lake home is worth about $338,000, up 4.7% in a year, 41% above the Iowa typical home. Homes typically sell in 43 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Clear Lake compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Clear Lake at a glance
A balanced market
About 5.8 months of supply: neither buyers nor sellers have a clear edge.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Clear Lake | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $184,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $197,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $218,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $224,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $246,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $279,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $306,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $306,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $317,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $331,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $338,000 | $240,000 |
59 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 59 new homes in Clear Lake in 2025: 19 single-family houses and 40 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $23.1 million to build. That's 7.8 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Iowa (4.7). Over the past 10 years, Clear Lake has permitted 195 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Clear Lake's population fell by 90 even though 168 new homes were permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. 19% of Clear Lake's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. 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) | 8 | 8 | 0 | $12.1 million |
| 2025 | 59 | 19 | 40 | $23.1 million |
| 2024 | 31 | 9 | 22 | $12.2 million |
| 2023 | 11 | 8 | 3 | $4 million |
| 2022 | 19 | 16 | 3 | $9.8 million |
| 2021 | 14 | 14 | 0 | $5.9 million |
| 2020 | 18 | 18 | 0 | $7.2 million |
| 2019 | 18 | 18 | 0 | $7.1 million |
| 2018 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2.2 million |
| 2017 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.7 million |
| 2016 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $3.9 million |
| 2015 | 19 | 19 | 0 | $6.6 million |
| 2014 | 15 | 15 | 0 | $3.8 million |
| 2013 | 46 | 10 | 36 | $6.5 million |
| 2012 | 13 | 13 | 0 | $3 million |
| 2011 | 14 | 12 | 2 | $3.3 million |
| 2010 | 18 | 10 | 8 | $2.7 million |
| 2009 | 18 | 13 | 5 | $3.8 million |
| 2008 | 22 | 22 | 0 | $5.4 million |
| 2007 | 25 | 23 | 2 | $3.7 million |
| 2006 | 40 | 32 | 8 | $6.4 million |
| 2005 | 45 | 16 | 29 | $5.5 million |
| 2004 | 47 | 17 | 30 | $5.8 million |
| 2003 | 21 | 15 | 6 | $3 million |
| 2002 | 23 | 23 | 0 | $3.4 million |
| 2001 | 21 | 15 | 6 | $3.2 million |
| 2000 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $160,000 |
How Clear Lake ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
4.3 years of income
The typical Clear Lake home costs about 4.3 years of the town's median household income, more than across Iowa (3.2 years).
How Clear Lake ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $920
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Clear Lake is $920 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Clear Lake pay a median of $808, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 14% of the town's median household income.
Studio $720 · 4 bedrooms $1,400
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (50428; Cerro Gordo 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.
Recent listings in Clear Lake
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.