Washington, IA housing market
The typical Washington home is worth about $198,000, up 4.2% in a year, 17% below the Iowa typical home. Homes typically sell in 106 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Washington compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Washington at a glance
A seller's market
Supply is tight — about 2.1 months of homes for sale at the current pace. Buyers should expect competition on well-priced homes.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Washington | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $115,000 | $147,000 |
| 2018 | $121,000 | $152,000 |
| 2019 | $126,000 | $159,000 |
| 2020 | $133,000 | $167,000 |
| 2021 | $140,000 | $179,000 |
| 2022 | $158,000 | $195,000 |
| 2023 | $169,000 | $211,000 |
| 2024 | $175,000 | $218,000 |
| 2025 | $186,000 | $228,000 |
| 2026 | $194,000 | $236,000 |
| August 2026 | $198,000 | $240,000 |
3 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 3 new homes in Washington in 2025: 1 single-family house and 2 in buildings with two or more homes. That's 0.4 per 1,000 residents, slower than across Iowa (4.7). Over the past 10 years, Washington has permitted 57 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Washington gained 86 residents while 93 new homes were permitted: about 0.9 new residents per new home. Building outpaced population growth, which usually means smaller households or homes 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) | 5 | 5 | 0 | $1.2 million |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | 2 | $565,000 |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | 4 | $865,000 |
| 2023 | 5 | 1 | 4 | $865,000 |
| 2022 | 7 | 1 | 6 | $1.2 million |
| 2021 | 6 | 2 | 4 | $1.1 million |
| 2020 | 5 | 1 | 4 | $880,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | 4 | 4 | $1.4 million |
| 2018 | 13 | 11 | 2 | $1.3 million |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | 0 | $445,000 |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 | 0 | $545,000 |
| 2015 | 34 | 2 | 32 | $4.3 million |
| 2014 | 10 | 6 | 4 | $1.5 million |
| 2013 | 8 | 4 | 4 | $1 million |
| 2012 | 4 | 2 | 2 | $418,000 |
| 2011 | 6 | 4 | 2 | $957,000 |
| 2010 | 5 | 5 | 0 | $922,000 |
| 2009 | 6 | 6 | 0 | $865,000 |
| 2008 | 9 | 5 | 4 | $1.2 million |
| 2007 | 15 | 11 | 4 | $2 million |
| 2006 | 44 | 18 | 26 | $4.6 million |
| 2005 | 17 | 15 | 2 | $1.4 million |
| 2004 | 13 | 11 | 2 | $1.1 million |
| 2003 | 17 | 15 | 2 | $1.9 million |
| 2002 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $3.3 million |
| 2001 | 24 | 22 | 2 | $2.3 million |
| 2000 | 33 | 33 | 0 | $4.1 million |
Washington's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2025, so the 2025 figures are Census estimates.
How Washington ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
3.6 years of income
The typical Washington home costs about 3.6 years of the town's median household income, more than across Iowa (3.2 years).
How Washington ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,030
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Washington is $1,030 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Washington pay a median of $968. A two-bedroom takes about 22% of the town's median household income.
Studio $780 · 4 bedrooms $1,360
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (52353; Washington County, 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.