How much house can I afford on $180,000 in Iowa?
About $605,000 with 20% down ($488,000 with an FHA loan), using Iowa's 1.27% property tax rate.
That is $368,440 more than the typical Iowa home ($236,623), so a $180,000 salary can buy a typical home here. The payment of $4,200 covers $3,256 principal and interest, $641 property tax and $303 insurance.
Counties in Iowa you can afford on $180,000
99 of 99 counties have a typical home value at or below $605,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinson County | $384,118 | +1.7% | 0.92% |
| Dallas County | $355,003 | -0.5% | 1.41% |
| Madison County | $333,666 | +1.7% | 1.48% |
| Warren County | $323,570 | +1.9% | 1.43% |
| Winneshiek County | $315,887 | +3.5% | 1.12% |
| Johnson County | $309,187 | +2.8% | 1.52% |
| Sioux County | $308,457 | +3.6% | 1.12% |
| Plymouth County | $292,290 | +5.5% | 1.07% |
| Story County | $292,064 | +2.7% | 1.4% |
| Clayton County | $287,556 | +13.2% | 1.29% |
| Benton County | $282,938 | +9.5% | 1.31% |
| Mills County | $280,495 | +3.2% | 1.47% |
| Polk County | $279,097 | +0.2% | 1.68% |
| Dubuque County | $277,182 | +4.3% | 1.23% |
| Guthrie County | $273,068 | +5.7% | 1.22% |
| Marion County | $271,088 | +2.9% | 1.22% |
| Lyon County | $266,451 | +12.2% | 0.87% |
| Allamakee County | $262,926 | +7.6% | 1.27% |
| Bremer County | $258,393 | +1.9% | 1.29% |
| Cedar County | $254,794 | +5.5% | 1.22% |
| Scott County | $250,205 | +5.3% | 1.47% |
| Delaware County | $243,977 | +4.2% | 1.34% |
| Linn County | $242,923 | +3.0% | 1.66% |
| Jones County | $241,542 | +7.8% | 1.33% |
| Pottawattamie County | $240,980 | +3.0% | 1.57% |
Affordable metro areas
Assumes a 30-year fixed loan at 7.11%, property tax of 1.27% of the home value a year, homeowners insurance of 0.6% a year, PMI of 0.5% of the loan a year when the down payment is under 20%, and FHA mortgage insurance of 0.55% a year plus a 1.75% upfront premium added to the loan. Your rate, taxes and insurance will differ.
Other salaries in Iowa
Frequently asked questions
How much house can I afford on $180,000 in Iowa?
About $605,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with Iowa's 1.27% property tax and insurance) under $4,200 a month.
Is $180,000 enough to buy a house in Iowa?
Yes: the typical Iowa home is worth $236,623 (Zillow, September 2026) and $180,000 supports about $605,000. 99 of 99 counties are within budget.