Data through September 2026 · updated 2026-11-07 · free, from Zillow, Realtor.com, the Census Bureau and other public sources
Typical home value$170,587+3.5% YoY · prices are rising fast
Market right nowSeller's marketFewer homes for sale than last year, 6% have cut their price
Income needed to buy, per year$36,980About 0.5× the local median income ($67,377): affordable for a typical household
Days on market97 daysSlower than a year ago: buyers have time to negotiate
The typical home in Palo Alto County, IA is worth $170,587, up 3.5% from a year ago. That is well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $149,373, so the area is 14.2% overvalued. It is a seller's market: homes take about 97 days to sell, listings are down 3% from a year ago, 6% of listings have had a price cut. A household needs about $36,980 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 $67,377. In the latest IRS figures, 22 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
$170,587
Change in 1 year
+3.5%
Overvalued %
+14.2%
Show 6 more
Fair home value
$149,373
Change in 5 years
+31.3%
Home value to income
2.5×
Monthly mortgage payment (20% down)
$924
Income needed to afford it
$36,980
Property tax rate
1.20%
Rent and investing
HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedrooms
$927
Market activity
Listings vs a year ago
−2.6%
Days on market
97
Listings with a price cut
6.2%
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Homes for sale
38
Pending sales per 100 listings
50
Asking price per sq ft
$118
People and jobs
Median household income
$67,377
Population change (1 year)
+0.1%
Unemployment rate
2.2%
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Population
8,899
Income adjusted for cost of living
$80,115
Net moves in (IRS)
−22
Cost of living (US = 100)
84.1
Schools, risk and environment
School rating (1 to 10)
6.0
FEMA hazard risk score (0 to 100)
15.5
Unhealthy air days a year
9
Show 4 more
Flood risk score
9.0
Wildfire risk score
11.0
Walkability (1 to 20)
7.0
Road, rail and air noise
53 dB
Questions people ask
Is Palo Alto County, IA overvalued?
Home prices in Palo Alto County, IA are well above what local incomes have historically supported: fair value is about $149,373, so the area is 14.2% overvalued.
Is Palo Alto County, IA a buyer's or seller's market?
Palo Alto County, IA is a seller's market: homes take about 97 days to sell, listings are down 3% from a year ago, 6% of listings have had a price cut.
Are home prices going down in Palo Alto County, IA?
Home values in Palo Alto County, IA are up 3.5% over the last year.
How much do you need to earn to buy a home in Palo Alto County, IA?
A household needs about $36,980 a year to afford the typical home in Palo Alto County, IA at today's 7.18% mortgage rate (20% down, payment at 30% of income); the median household earns $67,377.