State Center, IA housing market
The typical State Center home is worth about $312,000, up 20.2% in a year, 30% above the Iowa typical home.
Home values, sales, trends and how State Center compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
State Center at a glance
Only 2 sales in May 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value above is the steadier guide.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | State Center | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $154,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $150,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $170,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $186,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $195,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $216,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $231,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $237,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $254,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $288,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $312,000 | $240,000 |
3 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 3 new homes in State Center in 2025, all single-family houses. That's 2.1 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Iowa (4.7). Over the past 10 years, State Center has permitted 42 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, State Center's population fell by 77 even though 23 new homes were 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) | 1 | 1 | 0 | $322,000 |
| 2025 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $965,000 |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $965,000 |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $1.1 million |
| 2022 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.3 million |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2019 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2018 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2017 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| 2016 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $1 million |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $225,000 |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $225,000 |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $300,000 |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $250,000 |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $558,000 |
| 2007 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $555,000 |
| 2006 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $962,000 |
| 2005 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2004 | 7 | 4 | 3 | $1.7 million |
| 2003 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $75,000 |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $150,000 |
| 2001 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $80,000 |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $115,000 |
State Center's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
3.7 years of income
The typical State Center home costs about 3.7 years of the town's median household income, more than across Iowa (3.2 years).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $960
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in State Center is $960 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in State Center pay a median of $766, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 14% of the town's median household income.
Studio $790 · 4 bedrooms $1,600
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (50247; Ames, 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.
Recent listings in State Center
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.