O'Brien County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
O'Brien 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 43% below the Iowa median$86,694
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Median rent 11% below the Iowa median$868
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $86,694 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 0.6% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $868 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 5.2% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in O'Brien County is about 43% lower than in Iowa. Rent is about 11% 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 O'Brien County, up about 0.6% and 5.2% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
Median rent in O'Brien County rose about 48.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $584 to $868. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 1.2 yearly household incomes in O'Brien County.
Buying the median-priced home in O'Brien County costs roughly 8.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in O'Brien County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $86,694 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $69,653 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 1.2 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in O'Brien County rose about 13.8%, while median household income rose about 47.5% between 2009 and 2025 — 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 | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 67.4% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 21.1% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 11.5% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 18.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2008 | 2011 | 2011 |
O'Brien County has a homeownership rate of 67.4%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 11.5%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | O'Brien County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.35 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1958 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in O'Brien County was built around 1958. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.3 rooms, staying for about 18.0 years on average.
O'Brien County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How O'Brien County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| O'Brien County, IA | 14,126 | $86,694 #2/2 | $868 #1/2 | 76.1% #1/2 |
| Clay County, IA | 16,461 | $241,666 | $811 | 73.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in O'Brien County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in O'Brien County, Iowa?
The median home price in O'Brien County, Iowa is $86,694, lower than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in O'Brien County, Iowa?
The typical home price in O'Brien County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $86,694. 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 O'Brien County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in O'Brien County, Iowa is $868 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in O'Brien County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in O'Brien County, Iowa was $575 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in O'Brien County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in O'Brien County, Iowa is about 8.3, meaning it would take roughly 8.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in O'Brien County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in O'Brien County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in O'Brien County, up about 0.6% and 5.2% a year respectively. Rent is changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in O'Brien County, Iowa?
67.4% of households in O'Brien County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in O'Brien County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in O'Brien County, Iowa is 11.5%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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