Housing Market Overview
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 Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Dubuque County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $284,639 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 29.7% | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $944 | $948 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Dubuque County is about 98% higher than in Iowa. Rent follows a similar pattern, running close to the Iowa average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Dubuque County, up about 29.7% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Dubuque County rose about 35.8% between 2015 and 2023, from $695 to $944. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 36.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.8 yearly household incomes in Dubuque County.
Buying the median-priced home in Dubuque County costs roughly 25.1 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 Dubuque County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 12.6.
| Metric | Dubuque County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $284,639 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $75,820 | $73,286 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Dubuque County rose about 167.7%, while median household income rose about 74.6% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 | Dubuque County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 69.1% | 65.3% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 25.3% | 26.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.6% | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Dubuque County has a homeownership rate of 69.1%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.6%, compared with 8.6% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Dubuque County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.34 people | 2.37 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1977 | 1970 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Dubuque County was built around 1977. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 6.1 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Dubuque County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Dubuque County, Iowa?
The median home price in Dubuque County, Iowa is $284,639, higher than the Iowa average of $143,535.
What is the average home price in Dubuque County, Iowa?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. 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 Dubuque County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Dubuque County, Iowa is $944 per month, about the same as the Iowa average.
What was the median gross rent in Dubuque County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Dubuque County, Iowa was $802 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Dubuque County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Dubuque County, Iowa is about 25.1, meaning it would take roughly 25.1 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 Dubuque County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Dubuque County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Dubuque County, up about 29.7% and 4.0% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Dubuque County, Iowa?
69.1% of households in Dubuque County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Dubuque County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Dubuque County, Iowa is 5.6%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.6%.