Fertile, IA housing market
The typical Fertile home is worth about $200,000, up 6.1% in a year, 17% below the Iowa typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how Fertile compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Fertile at a glance
Only 1 sale in February 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value above is the steadier guide.
Typical home value, 2017–2026
Show as a table
| January | Fertile | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $115,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $121,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $131,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $143,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $157,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $170,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $164,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $178,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $193,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $200,000 | $240,000 |
1 new home permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 1 new home in Fertile in 2025. Over the past 10 years, Fertile has permitted 1 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Fertile's population fell by 65 even though 1 new home was permitted. Homes are holding fewer people: households are getting smaller, or more homes are used part of the year. 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) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $185,000 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $201,000 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $100,000 |
| 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $325,000 |
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 $1,020
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Fertile is $1,020 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Fertile pay a median of $858, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Studio $770 · 4 bedrooms $1,520
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (50434, 50444; 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 Fertile
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, February 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.