Linn County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Linn 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 52% above the Iowa median More expensive than 85% of counties in Iowa$232,669
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Median rent 3% below the Iowa median More expensive than 87% of counties in Iowa$944
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $232,669 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 12.0% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $944 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.7% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Linn County is about 52% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 3% 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 Linn County, up about 12.0% and 3.7% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Linn County rose about 36.0% between 2015 and 2024, from $694 to $944. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 3.0 yearly household incomes in Linn County.
Buying the median-priced home in Linn County costs roughly 20.5 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 Linn County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $232,669 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $78,016 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Linn County rose about 139.1%, while median household income rose about 41.8% 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 | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 68.2% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 24.6% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 7.3% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Linn County has a homeownership rate of 68.2%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 7.3%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Linn County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.35 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1978 | 1971 | 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.
Linn County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Linn County, IA is the largest of the 4 counties compared here, 230,016 residents against a local median of 25,722. The measure that sets Linn County, IA apart most is median home price: $232,669, 19% above the local median of $195,175.
The counties themselves spread $252,804 on median home price, so Linn County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Linn County, IA has the 2nd highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linn County, IA | 230,016 | $232,669 #2/4 | $944 #2/4 | 73.5% #3/4 |
| Johnson County, IA | 156,634 | $195,175 | $1,122 | 59.4% |
| Buchanan County, IA | 20,694 | $298,275 | $848 | 82.1% |
| Benton County, IA | 25,722 | $45,471 | $826 | 85.0% |
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 $232,669, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Linn County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Linn County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $232,669. 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 $944 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
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 20.5, meaning it would take roughly 20.5 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 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 12.0% and 3.7% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Linn County, Iowa?
68.2% of households in Linn County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Linn County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Linn County, Iowa is 7.3%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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