Clay County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Clay 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.
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Median home price 58% above the Iowa median More expensive than 87% of counties in Iowa$241,666
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Median rent 16% below the Iowa median$811
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $241,666 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 20.3% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $811 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.2% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Clay County is about 58% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 16% 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 Clay County, up about 20.3% and 3.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Clay County rose about 36.8% between 2015 and 2024, from $593 to $811. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.7 yearly household incomes in Clay County.
Buying the median-priced home in Clay County costs roughly 24.8 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 Clay County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Clay County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $241,666 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $65,277 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.7 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Clay County rose about 204.6%, while median household income rose about 37.7% between 2010 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 | Clay County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 65.5% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 23.8% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 10.7% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 16.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2010 | 2011 | 2011 |
Clay County has a homeownership rate of 65.5%, about the same as the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 10.7%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Clay County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.22 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1964 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Clay County was built around 1964. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 6.0 rooms, staying for about 16.0 years on average.
Clay County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Clay County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, IA | 16,461 | $241,666 #2/3 | $811 #3/3 | 73.3% #2/3 |
| Buena Vista County, IA | 20,753 | $319,753 | $893 | 73.2% |
| O'Brien County, IA | 14,126 | $86,694 | $868 | 76.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Clay County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Clay County, Iowa?
The median home price in Clay County, Iowa is $241,666, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Clay County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Clay County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $241,666. 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 Clay County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Clay County, Iowa is $811 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Clay County, Iowa was $692 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Clay County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Clay County, Iowa is about 24.8, meaning it would take roughly 24.8 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 Clay County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Clay County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Clay County, up about 20.3% and 3.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Clay County, Iowa?
65.5% of households in Clay County, Iowa own their home, about the same as the Iowa average.
What is the vacancy rate in Clay County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Clay County, Iowa is 10.7%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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