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 | Plymouth County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $170,535 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 17.7% | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $864 | $948 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.8% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Plymouth County is about 19% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 9% 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 Plymouth County, up about 17.7% and 4.8% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Plymouth County rose about 48.0% between 2015 and 2023, from $584 to $864. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 36.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.1 yearly household incomes in Plymouth County.
Buying the median-priced home in Plymouth County costs roughly 16.4 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 Plymouth County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 12.6.
| Metric | Plymouth County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $170,535 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $81,919 | $73,286 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.1 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Plymouth County rose about 11.7%, while median household income rose about 50.2% 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 | Plymouth County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 69.8% | 65.3% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 24.9% | 26.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 5.2% | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Plymouth County has a homeownership rate of 69.8%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 5.2%, compared with 8.6% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Plymouth County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.46 people | 2.37 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1969 | 1970 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.3 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Plymouth County was built around 1969. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 6.3 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Plymouth County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Plymouth County, Iowa?
The median home price in Plymouth County, Iowa is $170,535, higher than the Iowa average of $143,535.
What is the average home price in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Plymouth County, Iowa is $864 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $948.
What was the median gross rent in Plymouth County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Plymouth County, Iowa was $714 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Plymouth County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Plymouth County, Iowa is about 16.4, meaning it would take roughly 16.4 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 Plymouth County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Plymouth County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Plymouth County, up about 17.7% and 4.8% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Plymouth County, Iowa?
69.8% of households in Plymouth County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Plymouth County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Plymouth County, Iowa is 5.2%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.6%.