Elkhart, IA housing market
The typical Elkhart home is worth about $326,000, up 0.9% in a year, 36% above the Iowa typical home. Homes typically sell in 8 days, close to asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Elkhart compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Elkhart at a glance
A strong seller's market
Homes are selling faster than new ones are listed: less than two months of supply. Well-priced homes can draw several offers.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Elkhart | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $216,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $226,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $242,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $253,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $265,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $301,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $315,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $317,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $323,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $324,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $326,000 | $240,000 |
19 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 19 new homes in Elkhart in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $5.8 million to build. Over the past 10 years, Elkhart has permitted 200 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Elkhart gained 199 residents while 120 new homes were permitted: about 1.7 new residents per new home. Building and growth moved roughly in step. 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 | $2.2 million |
| 2025 | 19 | 19 | 0 | $5.8 million |
| 2024 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2.8 million |
| 2023 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $3.5 million |
| 2022 | 22 | 10 | 12 | $6.3 million |
| 2021 | 34 | 34 | 0 | $7.7 million |
| 2020 | 20 | 20 | 0 | $5.4 million |
| 2019 | 20 | 20 | 0 | $4.8 million |
| 2018 | 34 | 32 | 2 | $6.8 million |
| 2017 | 22 | 22 | 0 | $4.3 million |
| 2016 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2.3 million |
| 2015 | 11 | 11 | 0 | $2.4 million |
| 2014 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $2.2 million |
| 2013 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $2 million |
| 2012 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2011 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $101,000 |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 4 | 0 | 4 | $398,000 |
| 2001 | 4 | 0 | 4 | $198,000 |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 · figures for a place this size carry wide margins of error.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,410
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Elkhart is $1,410 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Elkhart pay a median of $836, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Studio $1,140 · 4 bedrooms $1,970
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (50073; Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area), 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, April 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.