Hamilton County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Hamilton 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 5% above the Iowa median$160,416
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Median rent 10% below the Iowa median$876
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Hamilton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $160,416 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 155.8% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $876 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.2% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Hamilton County is about 5% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 10% 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 Hamilton County, up about 155.8% and 4.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Hamilton County rose about 37.4% between 2015 and 2024, from $638 to $876. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.2 yearly household incomes in Hamilton County.
Buying the median-priced home in Hamilton County costs roughly 15.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Hamilton County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Hamilton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $160,416 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $72,236 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.2 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Hamilton County rose about 93.1%, while median household income rose about 43.4% 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 | Hamilton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 67.1% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 24.3% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 8.6% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2011 | 2011 |
Hamilton County has a homeownership rate of 67.1%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 8.6%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Hamilton County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.28 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1957 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Hamilton County was built around 1957. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 6.2 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Hamilton County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Hamilton County, IA is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 14,886 residents against a local median of 36,886. Hamilton County, IA's median home price, at $160,416, runs 46% above the $110,174 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $185,521 on median home price, so Hamilton County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hamilton County, IA has the 2nd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County, IA | 14,886 | $160,416 #2/4 | $876 #2/4 | 73.4% #2/4 |
| Story County, IA | 100,466 | $260,937 | $1,018 | 55.5% |
| Hardin County, IA | 16,639 | $75,416 | $794 | 73.6% |
| Webster County, IA | 36,886 | $110,174 | $784 | 70.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Hamilton County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Hamilton County, Iowa?
The median home price in Hamilton County, Iowa is $160,416, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Hamilton County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Hamilton County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $160,416. 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 Hamilton County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Hamilton County, Iowa is $876 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Hamilton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Hamilton County, Iowa was $762 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Hamilton County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Hamilton County, Iowa is about 15.3, meaning it would take roughly 15.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Hamilton County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Hamilton County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Hamilton County, up about 155.8% and 4.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Hamilton County, Iowa?
67.1% of households in Hamilton County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Hamilton County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Hamilton County, Iowa is 8.6%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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