Iowa housing market
Statewide listing data for September 2026, the latest month Realtor.com® Economic Research has published, with two years of history. Checked October 8, 2026.
Iowa at a glance
MidwestSource: Realtor.com® Economic Research (Iowa, September 2026). Asking prices and active listings, not closed sales.
What the data says
- There are 3.7% more homes for sale in Iowa than a year ago.
- The median asking price is up 2.1% from a year ago.
- 20% of active listings have had at least one price reduction.
- The typical listing spends 59 days on the market.
Repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, published quarterly with a lag of about two months.
Two-year trend
Median listing price, Iowa
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024-09-01 | $289K |
| 2024-10-01 | $281K |
| 2024-11-01 | $280K |
| 2024-12-01 | $279K |
| 2025-01-01 | $279K |
| 2025-02-01 | $280K |
| 2025-03-01 | $285K |
| 2025-04-01 | $292K |
| 2025-05-01 | $295K |
| 2025-06-01 | $295K |
| 2025-07-01 | $290K |
| 2025-08-01 | $285K |
| 2025-09-01 | $279K |
| 2025-10-01 | $275K |
| 2025-11-01 | $270K |
| 2025-12-01 | $269K |
| 2026-01-01 | $270K |
| 2026-02-01 | $270K |
| 2026-03-01 | $279K |
| 2026-04-01 | $281K |
| 2026-05-01 | $285K |
| 2026-06-01 | $290K |
| 2026-07-01 | $285K |
| 2026-08-01 | $285K |
| 2026-09-01 | $285K |
Homes for sale, Iowa
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024-09-01 | 9,516 |
| 2024-10-01 | 10K |
| 2024-11-01 | 10K |
| 2024-12-01 | 9,483 |
| 2025-01-01 | 8,812 |
| 2025-02-01 | 8,715 |
| 2025-03-01 | 8,762 |
| 2025-04-01 | 9,356 |
| 2025-05-01 | 9,987 |
| 2025-06-01 | 10K |
| 2025-07-01 | 11K |
| 2025-08-01 | 11K |
| 2025-09-01 | 11K |
| 2025-10-01 | 12K |
| 2025-11-01 | 12K |
| 2025-12-01 | 11K |
| 2026-01-01 | 9,829 |
| 2026-02-01 | 9,742 |
| 2026-03-01 | 9,554 |
| 2026-04-01 | 9,828 |
| 2026-05-01 | 10K |
| 2026-06-01 | 10K |
| 2026-07-01 | 11K |
| 2026-08-01 | 11K |
| 2026-09-01 | 12K |
Listings follow a seasonal pattern each year; compare a month with the same month a year earlier.
Iowa compared with the U.S.
Compare with another state| Measure | Iowa | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median listing price | $284,900 (+2.1% y/y) | $419,250 (−1.4% y/y) |
| Homes for sale | 11,855 (+3.7% y/y) | 1,161,615 (+5.4% y/y) |
| Median days on market | 59 days (Unchanged y/y) | 61 days (Unchanged y/y) |
| Listings with a price cut | 19.9% (+0.7 pts y/y) | 20.8% (+0.9 pts y/y) |
| Median list price per sq ft | $174 (+3.7% y/y) | $223 (−1.7% y/y) |
Sources: Realtor.com® Economic Research (Iowa, September 2026); Realtor.com® Economic Research (United States, September 2026). “y/y” is the change from the same month a year earlier.
An affordability illustration
Run your own numbersThe inputs
- Median listing price (September 2026)$284,900
- Down payment20% ($56,980)
- Loan amount$227,920
- Rate: 30-year fixed, national (Week of Oct 1, 2026)7.28%
- Median household income, Iowa (2025)$81,890
This is an illustration, not a lender calculation. It leaves out property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance and HOA dues, which can add several hundred dollars or more a month. The rate is a national average for strong-credit borrowers; your rate may differ.
Sources: Realtor.com® Economic Research (Iowa, September 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (United States, Week of Oct 1, 2026); U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (Iowa, 2025).
Editor’s notes on Iowa
Written March 2026; conditions may have changedIowa's housing market is a model of Midwestern stability. Des Moines has developed a genuine financial services and insurance cluster (Principal Financial, Wellmark, EMC Insurance) that provides steady middle-class demand. The state offers exceptional value for families, with strong schools and low crime in many communities.
For buyers
Des Moines suburbs offer exceptional value — West Des Moines and Ankeny rank among the most livable and affordable mid-sized metro communities in the country.
For sellers
Iowa buyers are thorough. Expect detailed inspections and negotiate in good faith. Relationship-based transactions are common here.
These notes are background written by our editors in March 2026, before the data above. Where they differ, the dated figures on this page are more current.