Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$204,056+9.3% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowBalanced marketMore homes for sale than last year, 20% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$44,235About 0.6× the local median income ($71,163): affordable for a typical household
Days on market38 daysFaster than a year ago: sellers have the edge
The typical home in Howard County, IA is worth $204,056, up 9.3% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $168,298, so the area is 21.2% overvalued. It is a balanced market: homes take about 38 days to sell, listings are up 35% from a year ago, 20% of listings have had a price cut. A household needs about $44,235 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 $71,163. In the latest IRS figures, 109 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
$204,056
Change in 1 year
+9.3%
Overvalued %
+21.2%
Show 6 more
Fair home value
$168,298
Change in 5 years
+40.6%
Home value to income
2.9×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$1,106
Income needed to afford it
$44,235
Property tax rate
1.25%
Rent and investing
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$927
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
+35.3%
Days on market
38
Listings with a price cut
20.0%
Show 3 more
Homes for sale
23
Pending sales per 100 listings
26
Asking price per sq ft
$97
People and jobs
Median household income
$71,163
Population change (1 year)
−0.2%
Unemployment rate
1.9%
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Population
9,415
Income adjusted for cost of living
$84,617
Net moves in (IRS)
−109
Cost of living (US = 100)
84.1
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
4.7
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
15.6
Flood risk score
25.4
Show 3 more
Wildfire risk score
9.3
Walkability (1 to 20)
6.4
Road, rail and air noise
52 dB
Questions people ask
Is Howard County, IA overvalued?
Home prices in Howard County, IA are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $168,298, so the area is 21.2% overvalued.
Is Howard County, IA a buyer's or seller's market?
Howard County, IA is a balanced market: homes take about 38 days to sell, listings are up 35% from a year ago, 20% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Howard County, IA?
Home values in Howard County, IA are up 9.3% over the last year.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Howard County, IA?
A household needs about $44,235 a year to afford the typical home in Howard County, IA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $71,163.