Shelby County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Shelby 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 22% above the Iowa median More expensive than 71% of counties in Iowa$187,037
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Median rent 19% below the Iowa median$783
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Shelby County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $187,037 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 6.9% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $783 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.1% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Shelby County is about 22% higher than in Iowa. Rent is about 19% 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 Shelby County, up about 6.9% and 3.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Shelby County rose about 30.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $599 to $783. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.6 yearly household incomes in Shelby County.
Buying the median-priced home in Shelby County costs roughly 19.9 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 Shelby County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Shelby County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $187,037 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $72,867 | $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 Shelby County rose about 47.5%, while median household income rose about 58.5% 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 | Shelby County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 69.8% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 19.9% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 10.3% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 17.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2009 | 2011 | 2011 |
Shelby County has a homeownership rate of 69.8%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 10.3%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Shelby County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.37 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1953 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Shelby County was built around 1953. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.4 rooms, staying for about 17.0 years on average.
Shelby County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Shelby County, IA compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, IA | 11,778 | $187,037 #2/3 | $783 #2/3 | 77.8% #1/3 |
| Crawford County, IA | 16,277 | $100,820 | $742 | 76.0% |
| Pottawattamie County, IA | 93,423 | $189,294 | $1,018 | 69.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Shelby County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Shelby County, Iowa?
The median home price in Shelby County, Iowa is $187,037, higher than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Shelby County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Shelby County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $187,037. 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 Shelby County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Shelby County, Iowa is $783 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Shelby County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Shelby County, Iowa was $701 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Shelby County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Shelby County, Iowa is about 19.9, meaning it would take roughly 19.9 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 Shelby County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Shelby County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Shelby County, up about 6.9% and 3.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Shelby County, Iowa?
69.8% of households in Shelby County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Shelby County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Shelby County, Iowa is 10.3%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
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