Mahaska County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Mahaska 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 32% above the Iowa median More expensive than 77% of counties in Iowa$202,419
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Median rent 18% below the Iowa median$793
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $202,419 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 28.3% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $793 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.5% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Mahaska County is about 32% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 18% 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 Mahaska County, up about 28.3% and 3.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Mahaska County rose about 33.8% between 2015 and 2024, from $593 to $793. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.8 yearly household incomes in Mahaska County.
Buying the median-priced home in Mahaska County costs roughly 21.3 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 Mahaska County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $202,419 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $71,408 | $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 Mahaska County rose about 355.4%, while median household income rose about 48.4% 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 | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 61.1% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 28.8% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 10.1% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Mahaska County has a homeownership rate of 61.1%, lower than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 10.1%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.43 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1967 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Mahaska County was built around 1967. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.1 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Mahaska County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Mahaska County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County, IA | 22,021 | $202,419 #1/3 | $793 #3/3 | 68.0% #3/3 |
| Wapello County, IA | 35,362 | $83,500 | $920 | 68.4% |
| Marion County, IA | 33,642 | $184,905 | $883 | 77.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Mahaska County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Mahaska County, Iowa?
The median home price in Mahaska County, Iowa is $202,419, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Mahaska County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Mahaska County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $202,419. 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 Mahaska County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Mahaska County, Iowa is $793 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Mahaska County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Mahaska County, Iowa was $672 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Mahaska County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Mahaska County, Iowa is about 21.3, meaning it would take roughly 21.3 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 Mahaska County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Mahaska County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Mahaska County, up about 28.3% and 3.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Mahaska County, Iowa?
61.1% of households in Mahaska County, Iowa own their home, lower than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Mahaska County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Mahaska County, Iowa is 10.1%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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