Pottawattamie County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Pottawattamie 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 23% above the Iowa median More expensive than 72% of counties in Iowa$189,294
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Median rent 5% above the Iowa median Among the 5 most expensive counties in Iowa$1,018
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $189,294 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 6.1% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,018 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.5% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Pottawattamie County is about 23% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 5% higher 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 Pottawattamie County, up about 6.1% and 3.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Pottawattamie County rose about 34.9% between 2015 and 2024, from $755 to $1,018. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.6 yearly household incomes in Pottawattamie County.
Buying the median-priced home in Pottawattamie County costs roughly 15.5 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 Pottawattamie County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $189,294 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $73,385 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.6 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Pottawattamie County rose about 105.5%, while median household income rose about 41.3% 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 | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 65.6% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 28.3% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.1% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Pottawattamie County has a homeownership rate of 65.6%, about the same as the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.1%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.41 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1966 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Pottawattamie County was built around 1966. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.7 rooms, staying for about 15.0 years on average.
Pottawattamie County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Pottawattamie County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pottawattamie County, IA | 93,423 | $189,294 #2/2 | $1,018 #1/2 | 69.9% #2/2 |
| Mills County, IA | 14,568 | $205,643 | $959 | 83.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Pottawattamie County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The median home price in Pottawattamie County, Iowa is $189,294, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $189,294. 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 Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Pottawattamie County, Iowa is $1,018 per month, higher than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Pottawattamie County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Pottawattamie County, Iowa was $849 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Pottawattamie County, Iowa is about 15.5, meaning it would take roughly 15.5 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 Pottawattamie County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Pottawattamie County, up about 6.1% and 3.5% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
65.6% of households in Pottawattamie County, Iowa own their home, about the same as the Iowa average.
What is the vacancy rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa is 6.1%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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