Benton County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Benton County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
-
Median home price 70% below the Iowa median Cheaper than 83% of counties in Iowa$45,471
-
Median rent 15% below the Iowa median$826
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Benton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $45,471 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 2.6% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $826 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.1% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Benton County is about 70% lower than in Iowa. Rent is about 15% lower than the Iowa average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Benton County, up about 2.6% and 4.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in Benton County rose about 39.5% between 2015 and 2024, from $592 to $826. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.5 yearly household incomes in Benton County.
Buying the median-priced home in Benton County costs roughly 4.6 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Benton County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Benton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $45,471 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $87,152 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.5 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Benton County fell about 6.0%, while median household income rose about 63.4% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Benton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 78.0% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 13.8% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 8.2% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2011 | 2011 |
Benton County has a homeownership rate of 78.0%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 8.2%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Benton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.49 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1969 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Benton County was built around 1969. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 6.4 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Benton County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Benton County, IA is the 3rd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 25,722 residents against a local median of 75,840. Where Benton County, IA breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 72% below the local median of $159,835 at $45,471.
The counties themselves spread $212,275 on median home price, so Benton County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Benton County, IA has the 5th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, IA | 25,722 | $45,471 #5/5 | $826 #5/5 | 85.0% #1/5 |
| Buchanan County, IA | 20,694 | $298,275 | $848 | 82.1% |
| Black Hawk County, IA | 130,985 | $87,001 | $989 | 66.2% |
| Linn County, IA | 230,016 | $232,669 | $944 | 73.5% |
| Tama County, IA | 16,868 | $85,999 | $871 | 76.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Benton County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Benton County, Iowa?
The median home price in Benton County, Iowa is $45,471, lower than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Benton County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Benton County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $45,471. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Benton County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Benton County, Iowa is $826 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Benton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Benton County, Iowa was $695 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Benton County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Benton County, Iowa is about 4.6, meaning it would take roughly 4.6 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Benton County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Benton County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Benton County, up about 2.6% and 4.1% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Benton County, Iowa?
78.0% of households in Benton County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Benton County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Benton County, Iowa is 8.2%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →