Van Meter, IA housing market
The typical Van Meter home is worth about $425,000, up 1.1% in a year, 78% above the Iowa typical home. Homes typically sell in 35 days, close to asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Van Meter compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Van Meter 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 | Van Meter | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $260,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $266,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $278,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $291,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $318,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $358,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $397,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $405,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $422,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $429,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $425,000 | $240,000 |
21 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 21 new homes in Van Meter in 2025, all single-family houses, worth about $7.7 million to build. That's 13 per 1,000 residents, faster than across Iowa (4.7). Over the past 10 years, Van Meter has permitted 293 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Van Meter gained 468 residents while 134 new homes were permitted: about 3.5 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) | 16 | 16 | 0 | $6.5 million |
| 2025 | 21 | 21 | 0 | $7.7 million |
| 2024 | 37 | 37 | 0 | $11.8 million |
| 2023 | 43 | 39 | 4 | $15.6 million |
| 2022 | 72 | 58 | 14 | $18.5 million |
| 2021 | 10 | 10 | 0 | $3.8 million |
| 2020 | 18 | 9 | 9 | $5.3 million |
| 2019 | 11 | 11 | 0 | $3.8 million |
| 2018 | 33 | 33 | 0 | $10.5 million |
| 2017 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $6.7 million |
| 2016 | 22 | 22 | 0 | $5.8 million |
| 2015 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $3.2 million |
| 2014 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2.1 million |
| 2013 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.7 million |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 6 | 4 | 2 | $1.2 million |
| 2010 | 8 | 4 | 4 | $1.3 million |
| 2009 | 9 | 9 | 0 | $1.4 million |
| 2008 | 7 | 7 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2007 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2006 | 12 | 12 | 0 | $2.3 million |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $464,000 |
| 2003 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $376,000 |
| 2002 | 4 | 4 | 0 | $520,000 |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $758,000 |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | $54,000 |
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Van Meter and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Meter | $425K | +1.1% | $1,100 | 21 | $135,139 |
| Waukee | $346K | −1.8% | $1,430 | 678 | $101,029 |
3.1 years of income
The typical Van Meter home costs about 3.1 years of the town's median household income, about the same as across Iowa (3.2).
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,100
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Van Meter is $1,100 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Van Meter pay a median of $1,063. A two-bedroom takes about 10% of the town's median household income.
Studio $890 · 4 bedrooms $1,550
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (50038, 50261; 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, 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.