Lee County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Lee 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 12% above the Iowa median$171,484
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Median rent 14% below the Iowa median$834
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Lee County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $171,484 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 37.4% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $834 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.4% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Lee County is about 12% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 14% 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 Lee County, up about 37.4% and 4.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Lee County rose about 44.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $577 to $834. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.8 yearly household incomes in Lee County.
Buying the median-priced home in Lee County costs roughly 17.1 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 Lee County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Lee County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $171,484 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $62,330 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Lee County rose about 196.0%, while median household income rose about 42.3% 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 | Lee County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 69.2% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 21.5% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.3% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2011 | 2011 |
Lee County has a homeownership rate of 69.2%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.3%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Lee County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.21 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1966 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Lee County was built around 1966. On average, 2.2 people live in a home with about 6.0 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Lee County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, IA is the 2nd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 32,893 residents against a local median of 20,002. Lee County, IA's median home price, at $171,484, runs 195% above the $58,213 typical of the counties around it.
The counties themselves spread $83,650 on median home price, so Lee County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lee County, IA has the highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, IA | 32,893 | $171,484 #1/4 | $834 #2/4 | 76.3% #2/4 |
| Henry County, IA | 20,002 | $107,954 | $819 | 74.1% |
| Hancock County, IL | 17,281 | $58,213 | $781 | 81.3% |
| Des Moines County, IA | 38,487 | $24,305 | $904 | 74.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Lee County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Lee County, Iowa?
The median home price in Lee County, Iowa is $171,484, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Lee County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Lee County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $171,484. 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 Lee County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Lee County, Iowa is $834 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Lee County, Iowa was $711 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Lee County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Lee County, Iowa is about 17.1, meaning it would take roughly 17.1 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 Lee County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Lee County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Lee County, up about 37.4% and 4.4% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Lee County, Iowa?
69.2% of households in Lee County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Lee County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Lee County, Iowa is 9.3%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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