Buena Vista County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Buena Vista 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 108% above the Iowa median More expensive than 95% of counties in Iowa$319,753
-
Median rent 8% below the Iowa median More expensive than 79% of counties in Iowa$893
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $319,753 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 22.2% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $893 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.9% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Buena Vista County is about 108% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 8% 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 Buena Vista County, up about 22.2% and 4.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Buena Vista County rose about 50.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $592 to $893. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 4.4 yearly household incomes in Buena Vista County.
Buying the median-priced home in Buena Vista County costs roughly 29.8 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Buena Vista County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $319,753 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $72,416 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 4.4 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Buena Vista County rose about 153.7%, while median household income rose about 55.3% between 2009 and 2025 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 24.4% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.0% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Buena Vista County has a homeownership rate of 66.6%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.0%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Buena Vista County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.63 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1964 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Buena Vista County was built around 1964. On average, 2.6 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Buena Vista County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Buena Vista County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista County, IA | 20,753 | $319,753 #1/2 | $893 #1/2 | 73.2% #2/2 |
| Clay County, IA | 16,461 | $241,666 | $811 | 73.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Buena Vista County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
The median home price in Buena Vista County, Iowa is $319,753, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Buena Vista County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $319,753. 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 Buena Vista County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Buena Vista County, Iowa is $893 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Buena Vista County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Buena Vista County, Iowa was $706 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Buena Vista County, Iowa is about 29.8, meaning it would take roughly 29.8 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Buena Vista County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Buena Vista County, up about 22.2% and 4.9% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
66.6% of households in Buena Vista County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Buena Vista County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Buena Vista County, Iowa is 9.0%, higher 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 →