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IAIowa rankings

Most affordable towns in Iowa

Ranked by how many years of a typical IA household income ($75,059) it takes to buy each town's median home. Lower is easier to buy in. 143 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Chariton 1.1 yrs $81,900 median home Map of Fort Madison 2 Fort Madison 1.3 yrs $94,200 median home Map of Oelwein 3 Oelwein 1.3 yrs $96,300 median home
#TownYears of incomeHome valueMedian income
1 Chariton4,242 people 1.1 yrs $81,900 $46,979
2 Map of Fort Madison Fort Madison10,133 people 1.3 yrs $94,200 $50,705
3 Map of Oelwein Oelwein5,834 people 1.3 yrs $96,300 $46,653
4 Hampton4,306 people 1.3 yrs $99,400 $47,088
5 Red Oak5,510 people 1.3 yrs $99,700 $50,109
6 Estherville5,839 people 1.4 yrs $101,400 $54,124
7 Map of Centerville Centerville5,372 people 1.4 yrs $103,000 $46,563
8 Map of Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 1.4 yrs $104,300 $52,711
9 Eagle Grove3,593 people 1.4 yrs $104,600 $63,125
10 Map of Postville Postville2,979 people 1.4 yrs $104,700 $49,485
11 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 1.4 yrs $106,300 $61,103
12 Tama3,051 people 1.4 yrs $106,800 $68,661
13 Clarinda5,353 people 1.5 yrs $114,200 $46,348
14 Burlington23,728 people 1.5 yrs $114,300 $59,000
15 Emmetsburg3,648 people 1.5 yrs $114,300 $55,833
16 Map of Creston Creston7,435 people 1.5 yrs $114,500 $52,633
17 Charles City7,232 people 1.5 yrs $115,400 $59,180
18 Clarion2,770 people 1.5 yrs $116,200 $64,625
19 Shenandoah4,892 people 1.6 yrs $116,700 $59,783
20 Cresco3,908 people 1.6 yrs $117,200 $60,608
21 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 1.6 yrs $118,200 $60,230
22 Perry7,985 people 1.6 yrs $121,400 $68,910
23 Sibley Sibley2,803 people 1.6 yrs $122,000 $55,070
24 Marengo2,725 people 1.6 yrs $123,200 $57,941
25 Iowa Falls5,038 people 1.6 yrs $123,800 $50,417
26 West Burlington3,189 people 1.7 yrs $124,000 $48,542
27 Webster City7,769 people 1.7 yrs $127,200 $63,430
28 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 1.7 yrs $127,700 $69,068
29 Map of Belmond Belmond2,694 people 1.7 yrs $129,100 $56,528
30 Map of Albia Albia3,663 people 1.7 yrs $130,300 $70,455
31 Map of Bloomfield Bloomfield2,742 people 1.8 yrs $132,000 $60,769
32 Maquoketa6,075 people 1.8 yrs $132,500 $60,240
33 Eldora2,617 people 1.8 yrs $133,000 $77,188
34 Hawarden Hawarden2,658 people 1.8 yrs $136,300 $74,167
35 Cherokee5,154 people 1.8 yrs $136,700 $61,750
36 Manchester5,191 people 1.9 yrs $139,400 $61,191
37 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 1.9 yrs $142,000 $64,804
38 Forest City4,290 people 1.9 yrs $143,500 $69,205
39 Map of Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 1.9 yrs $144,100 $60,649
40 Onawa Onawa2,839 people 1.9 yrs $145,800 $62,143
41 Osceola5,523 people 1.9 yrs $146,300 $68,284
42 Waukon3,792 people 2.0 yrs $147,200 $60,269
43 Missouri Valley2,666 people 2.0 yrs $148,500 $71,818
44 Atlantic6,763 people 2.0 yrs $149,900 $61,141
45 Denison8,260 people 2.0 yrs $150,200 $65,684
46 Evansdale4,518 people 2.0 yrs $150,300 $60,397
47 Map of Washington Washington7,290 people 2.0 yrs $152,300 $55,373
48 Map of Vinton Vinton4,948 people 2.0 yrs $152,300 $66,495
49 Harlan4,891 people 2.0 yrs $152,500 $57,488
50 Waterloo67,008 people 2.0 yrs $152,600 $57,480
51 Map of Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 2.0 yrs $153,300 $64,004
52 Map of Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 2.0 yrs $153,600 $58,117
53 Newton Newton15,700 people 2.0 yrs $153,700 $57,771
54 Jefferson4,152 people 2.1 yrs $155,800 $58,895
55 Map of Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 2.1 yrs $156,000 $51,311
56 Map of Knoxville Knoxville7,473 people 2.1 yrs $160,300 $61,599
57 Osage3,561 people 2.1 yrs $160,700 $68,730
58 Algona5,377 people 2.1 yrs $160,800 $56,040
59 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 2.1 yrs $160,900 $61,042
60 Independence6,164 people 2.2 yrs $165,300 $73,806
61 Tipton3,106 people 2.2 yrs $165,500 $61,115
62 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 2.2 yrs $166,400 $66,200
63 New Hampton New Hampton3,453 people 2.2 yrs $167,700 $62,870
64 Map of Carter Lake Carter Lake3,767 people 2.3 yrs $169,400 $85,349
65 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 2.3 yrs $171,800 $64,578
66 Storm Lake11,428 people 2.3 yrs $172,200 $62,765
67 Camanche4,550 people 2.3 yrs $172,400 $64,153
68 Anamosa5,629 people 2.3 yrs $172,600 $60,650
69 Boone12,424 people 2.3 yrs $173,000 $69,222
70 Sioux City86,101 people 2.3 yrs $173,600 $68,906
71 Map of Humboldt Humboldt4,771 people 2.3 yrs $173,600 $74,500
72 Monticello4,071 people 2.3 yrs $175,200 $70,015
73 Grundy Center2,809 people 2.4 yrs $177,900 $80,357
74 West Liberty West Liberty3,776 people 2.4 yrs $180,000 $69,345
75 Nevada6,983 people 2.4 yrs $182,400 $75,094
76 Spencer11,400 people 2.5 yrs $184,800 $59,667
77 Madrid2,808 people 2.5 yrs $185,600 $89,844
78 Map of Garner Garner3,049 people 2.5 yrs $186,300 $70,726
79 Cedar Rapids137,264 people 2.5 yrs $187,100 $70,424
80 Map of Carroll Carroll10,208 people 2.5 yrs $188,700 $69,706
81 Wilton2,920 people 2.5 yrs $189,200 $76,648
82 Jesup2,561 people 2.5 yrs $190,200 $89,408
83 Map of Winterset Winterset5,416 people 2.6 yrs $192,500 $67,708
84 Sheldon5,474 people 2.6 yrs $192,700 $62,159
85 Des Moines212,421 people 2.6 yrs $194,700 $65,932
86 Map of Williamsburg Williamsburg3,360 people 2.7 yrs $204,300 $58,059
87 Dubuque59,174 people 2.7 yrs $204,800 $65,845
88 Glenwood5,144 people 2.7 yrs $206,200 $71,790
89 Map of Mitchellville Mitchellville2,579 people 2.8 yrs $206,600 $81,172
90 Map of Rock Rapids Rock Rapids2,661 people 2.8 yrs $206,700 $63,942
91 Grinnell9,505 people 2.8 yrs $209,500 $65,320
92 Center Point2,562 people 2.8 yrs $212,400 $95,192
93 Map of Spirit Lake Spirit Lake5,518 people 2.9 yrs $215,100 $65,720
94 Map of Story City Story City3,398 people 2.9 yrs $215,600 $96,605
95 West Branch2,594 people 2.9 yrs $216,100 $92,209
96 Hiawatha7,206 people 2.9 yrs $216,900 $66,270
97 Milford3,311 people 2.9 yrs $218,400 $63,369
98 Le Mars10,640 people 2.9 yrs $219,200 $74,701
99 Waverly10,494 people 3.0 yrs $223,300 $80,284
100 Rock Valley4,059 people 3.1 yrs $231,200 $76,250
101 Dyersville4,423 people 3.1 yrs $234,100 $83,559
102 Map of Carlisle Carlisle4,255 people 3.1 yrs $234,300 $109,191
103 Map of DeWitt DeWitt5,546 people 3.2 yrs $237,100 $92,587
104 Indianola16,044 people 3.2 yrs $237,500 $75,453
105 Marion41,896 people 3.2 yrs $241,700 $86,743
106 Map of Hudson Hudson2,699 people 3.2 yrs $242,700 $120,481
107 Decorah7,535 people 3.3 yrs $244,500 $64,366
108 Map of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon4,513 people 3.3 yrs $245,200 $112,656
109 Map of Kalona Kalona2,692 people 3.4 yrs $257,900 $80,129
110 Clear Lake7,607 people 3.5 yrs $259,500 $79,415
111 Cedar Falls40,888 people 3.5 yrs $263,600 $76,987
112 Orange City6,426 people 3.5 yrs $264,000 $82,122
113 Map of Windsor Heights Windsor Heights5,143 people 3.6 yrs $267,900 $91,707
114 Fairfax2,900 people 3.7 yrs $274,500 $114,375
115 Map of Altoona Altoona21,495 people 3.7 yrs $274,600 $86,114
116 Ames Ames67,669 people 3.7 yrs $277,400 $60,991
117 Iowa City75,752 people 3.8 yrs $285,900 $58,546
118 Sioux Center8,454 people 3.9 yrs $290,800 $92,983
119 Pella10,720 people 3.9 yrs $292,700 $84,111
120 Pleasant Hill11,136 people 3.9 yrs $295,100 $90,508
121 Huxley4,544 people 4.0 yrs $297,100 $112,094
122 Coralville23,234 people 4.0 yrs $298,500 $69,144
123 Map of Sergeant Bluff Sergeant Bluff5,171 people 4.0 yrs $298,500 $123,481
124 Map of Norwalk Norwalk14,183 people 4.0 yrs $303,100 $102,722
125 North Liberty21,125 people 4.0 yrs $303,800 $102,102
126 Grimes16,366 people 4.1 yrs $304,700 $120,037
127 Bettendorf39,647 people 4.1 yrs $306,500 $100,495
128 West Des Moines71,083 people 4.1 yrs $309,000 $86,594
129 Map of Solon Solon3,152 people 4.1 yrs $309,400 $113,295
130 Saylorville3,366 people 4.2 yrs $314,300 $117,821
131 Le Claire4,735 people 4.2 yrs $318,700 $104,844
132 Bondurant8,560 people 4.2 yrs $318,800 $135,674
133 Adel Adel6,430 people 4.4 yrs $327,900 $95,250
134 Ankeny72,615 people 4.4 yrs $331,000 $108,198
135 Urbandale46,595 people 4.5 yrs $335,500 $112,795
136 Tiffin5,737 people 4.5 yrs $338,500 $100,952
137 Asbury5,989 people 4.5 yrs $339,000 $124,957
138 Waukee29,236 people 4.7 yrs $350,500 $101,029
139 Map of Eldridge Eldridge6,818 people 4.7 yrs $350,500 $106,316
140 Johnston24,384 people 4.9 yrs $369,100 $106,551
141 Map of Clive Clive19,012 people 5.3 yrs $401,100 $132,121
142 Robins3,332 people 5.5 yrs $413,400 $122,262
143 Polk City6,037 people 5.5 yrs $414,800 $164,389

How this ranking works

We divide each town’s median home value by the IA median household income ($75,059). The result is how many years of a typical paycheck it takes to buy a typical home there. Lower is more affordable. Across Iowa as a whole it’s 2.8 years.

Why not each town’s own income? That would rank wealthy towns with half-million-dollar homes as “affordable” only because their residents earn so much. One shared income answers the question people actually ask: where could a typical family afford to live?

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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