Homes For Sale In Iowa

Located in the Midwest of the United States, Iowa is bordered by two rivers: the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River, which converges with the Big Sioux River to the west. Iowa is also surrounded by these six states: Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. It’s considered one of the safest states to live in and has a population of over 3.1M people. 

There has always been a steady growth of homes being built in Iowa since before the 1940s. Over 73% of homes for sale in Iowa are single detached houses, though you will see townhomes and condos for sale in Iowa too. Most Iowa homes for sale have two and three bedrooms. Nearly 70% of Iowa’s residents own their homes, while the rest rent. 

The median home price in the Iowa real estate market is about $191K. That’s over 50% less than the national average of $453,700! When compared to other parts of the United States, you can get a lot of home for that price! For instance, you could buy a four-bedroom, two-bath home for sale in Murray, IA, that needs a little TLC for less than $140K or even live large in a seven-bedroom, seven-bath home for sale in Castana, IA, for about $490K.

Iowa is divided up into eight separate regions. Here are those regions and a few major cities located in each of them:

Sioux City- Located on the northwestern edge of Iowa and the navigational head of the Missouri River, Sioux City, IA, is in Plymouth and Woodbury counties. Sioux City is the fourth-largest city in Iowa, with a population of around 86K people. Sioux City is known for its cultural diversity and beautiful scenery in nearly every direction and appeals to people from all walks of life. Sioux City homes for sale average about $154K list price. 

Fort Dodge- This city is the county seat of Webster County, is situated along the Des Moines River, and has a population of about 24,800. This is a great city for families and outdoor lovers as there are 32 parks across the area. Fort Dodge is also appealing as the average cost of living is 12% lower than Iowa’s average, making it 22% less than the U.S. average. 

Mason City- With a population of around 27K people, Mason City serves as the county seat of Cerro Gordo County and is often referred to as the River City since it is situated along the Winnebago River. Mason City is the largest city in the region, which makes it the culture, economic, and entertainment hub of North Iowa. Mason City values the beauty of the past and preserves it while living with modern conveniences; because of this, homes for sale in Mason City are beautiful, and usually average around $144K. 

Waterloo- As a part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area, Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County and has a population of over 70,000 people. Though it’s the eighth-largest city in Iowa, Waterloo has a charming downtown with several historic sites. Nearly 60% of Waterloo residents own their homes. Most homes for sale in Waterloo are single-family detached houses with two to three bedrooms, though there are some condos and townhomes. The vast majority of homes on the Waterloo real estate were built between the ‘40s to 70s, with several built pre-1940 and a few built after 1970. Waterloo homes on the market have a median price tag of about $146K.

Des Moines- With over 215K people, Des Moines serves as the state capital of Iowa and has also been called the Wealthiest City by The Today Show. Des Moines is a fast-paced city that offers its residents a plethora of things to do, activities, and events year-round. Single-family homes dominate the market, and nearly 70% of them have two to three bedrooms. Most homes for sale in Des Moines were built from 1940 to 2000, though several were constructed pre-1940 and a few have continued to be built since then. The average price of homes on the Des Moines market is about $169K.  

Cedar Rapids- The second-largest city in Iowa, with a population of about 138K, Cedar Rapids is the county seat for Linn County. It is located along the Cedar River, about 100 miles northeast of Des Moines and is an economic hotspot in Iowa. Cedar Rapids is a happening city known for its rich arts and culture scene. The vast majority of homes for sale in Cedar Rapids are single-detached homes with mainly two to three bedrooms. They were primarily built from 1940 to 2000, with a few older and newer homes sprinkled in. The Cedar Rapids real estate market averages about $188K a home.

Burlington- With around 24K people, Burlington is the county seat for Des Moines County. If you’re looking for a quiet yet friendly place to live, Burlington would be ideal. There are a few diners and businesses, but not a lot of entertainment outside of that. Nearly all the homes for sale in Burlington are single-family homes with two to three bedrooms, and only a few condos or townhomes are sprinkled throughout the city. Most of the houses were built pre-1940s, some were built from the ‘40s to the ‘70s, and just a few have been constructed since then. Burlington real estate is more affordable compared to some of the other cities in Iowa and has a median home price of about $113K. 

Albia- With a population of only about 3,700 people, Albia is established as the county seat for Monroe County. There were a couple of housing booms in Albia, with most of the homes being constructed pre-1940s and then again from 1970 to 2000. Most of Albia Real Estate is single-family homes with about 40% of them consisting of 3 bedrooms. There are a few townhomes and mobile homes spread throughout the city and most residents own their property. The median home price of Albia real estate is about $187K. 

Council Bluffs- A border town right next to Omaha, NE, Council Bluffs is the county seat of Pottawattamie County and has a population of around 63K people. A lot of history was made in Council Bluffs as it was the starting point for the Mormon Trail and an anchor town for other emigrant trails. Today this charming city appeals to families as the schools are known for their outstanding efforts to help children excel in reading and other areas of learning. Homes for sale in Council Bluffs are mainly single-family homes with very few mobile homes sprinkled throughout the city. Homes in Council Bluffs were constructed throughout the 19th century and primarily consist of two to three bedrooms. The median home price in Council Bluffs, IA, is about $158K. 

Residents feel confident sending their kids to schools in Iowa. The state boasts a 99% literacy rate, which is the highest in the country! Students in Iowa also consistently rank high in the nation for SAT and ACT test scores. What’s also impressive about Iowa schools is their student-to-teacher ratio of only one teacher for every 14.2 students. This is great news in that students are more likely to receive the attention they need to succeed. 

Also, due to the state’s rural nature, Iowa schools put great emphasis on transportation to ensure students have a way to get to and from school. Lastly, Iowa also allows open enrollment and districts may even provide transportation to students living outside their boundary lines. 

Pleasant Valley Community School District- Located in Bettendorf, Iowa, Pleasant Valley is the top district in Iowa by niche.com. It’s considered the best district to work for and is also ranked number two for having the best teachers! This district has a population of about 5,250 students that attends school across five elementary, one middle school, and one high school.

Gilbert Community School District- Located in Gilbert, Iowa, this district is ranked number two for best districts, has the best teachers, and is ranked number one as having the safest schools in the state. There are four schools in this district, including one elementary, one intermediate, one middle, and one high school. Across all four schools, the district serves around 1,600 students. 

Waukee Community School District- Located in Waukee, Iowa, this school district is ranked number three among the top districts in the state. It’s also ranked fourth as one of the best districts for athletes. There are around 11,500 students in this district, including nine elementary, four middle, and one high school. 

Ranked as the second-best place to retire (after Hawaii), Iowa is the place dreams are made of. There are small towns everywhere and in a world full of noise, Iowa is a place of peace and tranquillity. 

Iowa has been ranked as one of the top states for doing business by CNBC as it was ranked number one for the cost of doing business. Iowa is widely known as a farming state, but it’s just a small portion compared to the other industries in Iowa. Here you can find biotechnology, finance, governmental services, insurance services, and manufacturing. Iowa isn’t exactly self-sustaining, but its residents are resilient. For instance, the state of Iowa was able to weather the recession in the late 2000s better than most states with unemployment rates staying lower than the majority of the country. 

When traveling through Iowa, the primary means of transportation is by vehicle. People don’t mind, though, as there’s not a lot of traffic in Iowa. May some in the bigger cities, but relative to other states, there’s rarely a traffic jam. The interstates that run through Iowa are: I-29 along the western border, I-80 runs east to west through the middle of the state, and I-35 runs north to south through the middle. Amtrak also runs through the southern part of the state with operations spanning from Chicago to California. There are several regional and international airports throughout the state for those who prefer to fly.