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 | Lucas County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $184,375 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 41.1% | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $737 | $948 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.5% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Lucas County is about 28% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 22% 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 Lucas County, up about 41.1% and 2.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Lucas County rose about 54.2% between 2015 and 2023, from $478 to $737. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 36.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.8 yearly household incomes in Lucas County.
Buying the median-priced home in Lucas County costs roughly 20.8 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 Lucas County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 12.6.
| Metric | Lucas County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $184,375 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $66,902 | $73,286 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.8 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Lucas County rose about 22.5%, while median household income rose about 54.0% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 | Lucas County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 73.1% | 65.3% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 17.0% | 26.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 9.9% | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2011 | 2011 |
Lucas County has a homeownership rate of 73.1%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 9.9%, compared with 8.6% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Lucas County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.34 people | 2.37 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1963 | 1970 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Lucas County was built around 1963. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.9 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Lucas County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Lucas County, Iowa?
The median home price in Lucas County, Iowa is $184,375, higher than the Iowa average of $143,535.
What is the average home price in Lucas 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 Lucas County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Lucas County, Iowa is $737 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $948.
What was the median gross rent in Lucas County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Lucas County, Iowa was $659 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Lucas County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Lucas County, Iowa is about 20.8, meaning it would take roughly 20.8 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 Lucas County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Lucas County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Lucas County, up about 41.1% and 2.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Lucas County, Iowa?
73.1% of households in Lucas County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Lucas County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Lucas County, Iowa is 9.9%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.6%.