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IAIowa rankings

Towns where rent is easiest to afford in Iowa

Ranked by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. 46 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Grimes 27.9% Median rent $1,251 2 Storm Lake 28.8% Median rent $898 Map of Le Mars 3 Le Mars 32.6% Median rent $929
#TownRenters paying 30%+Median rentRenter households
1 Grimes16,366 people 27.9% $1,251 1,739
2 Storm Lake11,428 people 28.8% $898 1,297
3 Map of Le Mars Le Mars10,640 people 32.6% $929 1,613
4 Waukee29,236 people 32.9% $1,383 3,962
5 Marshalltown Marshalltown27,626 people 33.7% $891 3,034
6 Waverly10,494 people 33.8% $1,057 1,145
7 Perry7,985 people 35.7% $931 1,035
8 Map of Creston Creston7,435 people 36.9% $703 1,156
9 Mason City Mason City27,050 people 37.2% $882 4,016
10 Map of Oskaloosa Oskaloosa11,504 people 37.3% $831 1,649
11 North Liberty North Liberty21,125 people 37.7% $1,246 2,656
12 Decorah7,535 people 37.9% $853 1,101
13 Urbandale46,595 people 38.6% $1,211 3,620
14 Spencer11,400 people 38.6% $805 1,589
15 Bettendorf39,647 people 39.2% $1,187 3,749
16 Pella10,720 people 40.2% $1,046 1,451
17 Map of Carroll Carroll10,208 people 40.2% $722 1,230
18 Map of Clive Clive19,012 people 41.5% $1,073 1,698
19 Mount Pleasant8,951 people 41.8% $826 1,104
20 Map of Washington Washington7,290 people 41.8% $968 1,111
21 Ankeny72,615 people 42.4% $1,319 7,888
22 Boone12,424 people 42.4% $831 1,402
23 Map of West Des Moines West Des Moines71,083 people 42.8% $1,237 13,339
24 Map of Sioux City Sioux City86,101 people 43.1% $976 10,927
25 Map of Fort Dodge Fort Dodge24,827 people 44.6% $785 3,456
26 Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids137,264 people 45.2% $967 17,919
27 Council Bluffs Council Bluffs62,586 people 45.3% $1,030 8,845
28 Waterloo67,008 people 45.4% $923 10,520
29 Johnston24,384 people 46.2% $1,338 2,652
30 Indianola16,044 people 46.6% $986 1,781
31 Dubuque59,174 people 48.6% $948 8,353
32 Map of Ottumwa Ottumwa25,430 people 48.6% $921 3,587
33 Des Moines212,421 people 48.8% $1,090 33,979
34 Burlington23,728 people 49.1% $924 2,801
35 Map of Davenport Davenport100,913 people 49.9% $978 14,627
36 Ames Ames67,669 people 50.2% $1,023 14,534
37 Newton Newton15,700 people 51.5% $819 2,532
38 Map of Muscatine Muscatine23,489 people 51.6% $974 3,006
39 Map of Keokuk Keokuk9,662 people 53% $871 1,448
40 Clinton Clinton24,322 people 53.2% $791 2,942
41 Atlantic6,763 people 53.5% $764 1,212
42 Marion Marion41,896 people 54.5% $961 3,578
43 Coralville23,234 people 55.1% $1,057 4,264
44 Map of Fairfield Fairfield9,456 people 56.9% $870 1,420
45 Cedar Falls40,888 people 57.4% $1,203 5,486
46 Iowa City75,752 people 61.9% $1,094 15,722

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. Lower is better. Only towns with 1,000+ renter households are ranked, because smaller samples are too uncertain. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Iowa as a whole is 43.9%.

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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