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 | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $171,869 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 5.5% | 7.5% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $970 | $948 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.2% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Pottawattamie County is about 20% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 2% higher 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 Pottawattamie County, up about 5.5% and 3.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Pottawattamie County rose about 28.4% between 2015 and 2023, from $755 to $970. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 36.3%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.4 yearly household incomes in Pottawattamie County.
Buying the median-priced home in Pottawattamie County costs roughly 14.8 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 Pottawattamie County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 12.6.
| Metric | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $171,869 | $143,535 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $70,820 | $73,286 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.4 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Pottawattamie County rose about 86.7%, while median household income rose about 43.6% between 2009 and 2023 — 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 | 66.0% | 65.3% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 27.8% | 26.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 6.2% | 8.6% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2011 | 2011 | 2011 |
Pottawattamie County has a homeownership rate of 66.0%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 6.2%, compared with 8.6% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Pottawattamie County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.42 people | 2.37 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1966 | 1970 | 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.
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 $171,869, higher than the Iowa average of $143,535.
What is the average home price in Pottawattamie 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 Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Pottawattamie County, Iowa is $970 per month, higher than the Iowa average of $948.
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 14.8, meaning it would take roughly 14.8 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 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 5.5% and 3.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
66.0% of households in Pottawattamie County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Pottawattamie County, Iowa is 6.2%, lower than the Iowa average of 8.6%.