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 | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $195,913 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 11.1% | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $915 | $948 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.7% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Linn County is about 36% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 3% lower than 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 Linn County, up about 11.1% and 3.7% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Linn County rose about 31.8% between 2015 and 2023, from $694 to $915. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 36.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.6 yearly household incomes in Linn County.
Buying the median-priced home in Linn County costs roughly 17.8 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 Linn County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 12.6.
| Metric | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $195,913 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $76,303 | $73,286 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.6 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Linn County rose about 101.3%, while median household income rose about 44.6% 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 | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 68.3% | 65.3% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 24.9% | 26.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.8% | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Linn County has a homeownership rate of 68.3%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.8%, compared with 8.6% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.36 people | 2.37 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1978 | 1970 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Linn County was built around 1978. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Linn County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Linn County, Iowa?
The median home price in Linn County, Iowa is $195,913, higher than the Iowa average of $143,535.
What is the average home price in Linn 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 Linn County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Linn County, Iowa is $915 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $948.
What was the median gross rent in Linn County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Linn County, Iowa was $777 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Linn County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Linn County, Iowa is about 17.8, meaning it would take roughly 17.8 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 Linn County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Linn County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Linn County, up about 11.1% and 3.7% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Linn County, Iowa?
68.3% of households in Linn County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Linn County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Linn County, Iowa is 6.8%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.6%.