Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$186,332−0.2% YoY · prices are flat
Market right nowBuyer's marketMore homes for sale than last year, 23% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$40,393About 0.5× the local median income ($77,083): affordable for a typical household
Days on market76 daysAbout the same pace as a year ago
The typical home in Buena Vista County, IA is worth $186,332, about the same as a year ago. That is slightly below what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $186,686, so the area is 0.2% undervalued. It is a buyer's market: homes take about 76 days to sell, listings are up 14% from a year ago, 23% of listings have had a price cut. A household needs about $40,393 a year to afford the typical home here at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $77,083. In the latest IRS figures, 205 more people moved out than in.
Home value over time
Solid: typical home value · dashed: fair value (household income × the 20-year average price-to-income ratio). Sources: FHFA, Zillow, U.S. Census Bureau.
Prices and affordability
Typical home value
$186,332
Change in 1 year
−0.2%
Overvalued %
−0.2%
Show 6 more
Fair home value
$186,686
Change in 5 years
+22.3%
Home value to income
2.4×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,010
Income needed to afford it
$40,393
Property tax rate
1.21%
Rent and investing
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,031
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+13.5%
Days on market
76
Listings with a price cut
23.3%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
59
Pending sales per 100 listings
25
Asking price per sq ft
$136
People and jobs
Median household income
$77,083
Population change (1 year)
−1.0%
Unemployment rate
5.5%
Show 4 more
Population
20,449
Income adjusted for cost of living
$91,656
Net moves in (IRS)
−205
Cost of living (US = 100)
84.1
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
3.3
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
39.3
Flood risk score
32.9
Show 3 more
Wildfire risk score
17.9
Walkability (1 to 20)
7.0
Road, rail and air noise
52 dB
Questions people ask
Is Buena Vista County, IA overvalued?
Home prices in Buena Vista County, IA are slightly below what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $186,686, so the area is 0.2% undervalued.
Is Buena Vista County, IA a buyer's or seller's market?
Buena Vista County, IA is a buyer's market: homes take about 76 days to sell, listings are up 14% from a year ago, 23% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Buena Vista County, IA?
Home values in Buena Vista County, IA are down 0.2% over the last year.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Buena Vista County, IA?
A household needs about $40,393 a year to afford the typical home in Buena Vista County, IA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $77,083.