Van Buren County, Iowa Housing Market Prices
Van Buren 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.
-
Median home price 7% below the Iowa median$143,452
-
Median rent 36% below the Iowa median Among the top 3 cheapest counties in Iowa$622
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Van Buren County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $143,452 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 56.2% | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $622 | $971 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.6% | 3.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Van Buren County is about 7% lower than in Iowa. Rent is about 36% lower than the Iowa average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2022
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Both home prices and rent are rising in Van Buren County, up about 56.2% and 3.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Van Buren County rose about 30.7% between 2015 and 2024, from $476 to $622. Over the same span, rent in Iowa rose about 39.6%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.3 yearly household incomes in Van Buren County.
Buying the median-priced home in Van Buren County costs roughly 19.2 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 Van Buren County. The price-to-rent ratio in Iowa is about 13.2.
| Metric | Van Buren County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $143,452 | $153,425 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $61,403 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.3 | 2.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2022, the median home price in Van Buren County rose about 406.3%, while median household income rose about 32.3% 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 | Van Buren County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 67.7% | 65.6% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 15.2% | 25.9% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 17.0% | 8.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 19.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2007 | 2011 | 2011 |
Van Buren County has a homeownership rate of 67.7%, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 17.0%, compared with 8.5% in Iowa.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Van Buren County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.47 people | 2.37 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1969 | 1971 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Van Buren County was built around 1969. On average, 2.5 people live in a home with about 6.1 rooms, staying for about 19.0 years on average.
Van Buren County, IA Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
How Van Buren County, IA compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County, IA | 7,241 | $143,452 #1/2 | $622 #2/2 | 81.6% #1/2 |
| Henry County, IA | 20,002 | $107,954 | $819 | 74.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Van Buren County, Iowa.
What is the median home price in Van Buren County, Iowa?
The median home price in Van Buren County, Iowa is $143,452, lower than the Iowa average of $153,425.
What is the average home price in Van Buren County, Iowa?
The typical home price in Van Buren County, Iowa, reported as the median sale price, is $143,452. 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 Van Buren County, Iowa?
The median gross rent in Van Buren County, Iowa is $622 per month, lower than the Iowa average of $971.
What was the median gross rent in Van Buren County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Van Buren County, Iowa was $571 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Van Buren County, Iowa?
The price-to-rent ratio in Van Buren County, Iowa is about 19.2, meaning it would take roughly 19.2 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 Van Buren County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Van Buren County, Iowa?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Van Buren County, up about 56.2% and 3.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Van Buren County, Iowa?
67.7% of households in Van Buren County, Iowa own their home, higher than the Iowa average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Van Buren County, Iowa?
The housing vacancy rate in Van Buren County, Iowa is 17.0%, higher than the Iowa average of 8.5%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →