Johnston, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Johnston 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 83% above the Iowa median$281,282
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Median rent 40% above the Iowa median$1,362
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Johnston | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $281,282 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | -0.5% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,362 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.4% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Johnston is about 83% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 40% higher than the Iowa average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Johnston: home prices fell about 0.5% a year while rent rose about 3.4% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
Median rent in Johnston rose about 37.8% between 2015 and 2024, from $989 to $1,362. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.5 yearly household incomes in Johnston.
Buying the median-priced home in Johnston costs roughly 17.2 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 Johnston. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Johnston | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $281,282 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $111,620 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.5 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Johnston fell about 7.8%, while median household income rose about 18.4% 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 | Johnston | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 66.4% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 29.0% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 4.7% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 11.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2015 | 2011 | 2011 |
Johnston has a homeownership rate of 66.4%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 4.7%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Johnston | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.60 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 2002 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Johnston was built around 2002. On average, 2.6 people live in a home with about 6.4 rooms, staying for about 11.0 years on average.
Johnston, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Cities
How Johnston, IA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston, IA | 20,666 | $281,282 #1/2 | $1,362 #1/2 | 69.6% #2/2 |
| Urbandale, IA | 42,731 | $281,186 | $1,214 | 75.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Johnston, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Johnston, Iowa?
The median home price in Johnston, Iowa is $281,282, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Johnston, Iowa?
The typical home price in Johnston, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $281,282. 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 Johnston, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Johnston, Iowa is $1,362 per month, higher than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Johnston in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Johnston, Iowa was $1,132 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Johnston, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Johnston, Iowa is about 17.2, meaning it would take roughly 17.2 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 Johnston.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Johnston, Iowa?
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Johnston: home prices fell about 0.5% a year while rent rose about 3.4% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
What is the homeownership rate in Johnston, Iowa?
66.4% of households in Johnston, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Johnston, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Johnston, Iowa is 4.7%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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