How much house can I afford on $50,000 in Iowa?
About $168,000 with 20% down ($136,000 with an FHA loan), using Iowa's 1.27% property tax rate.
That is $68,550 less than the typical Iowa home ($236,623), so on $50,000 you'd look at cheaper areas or a smaller home. The payment of $1,167 covers $905 principal and interest, $178 property tax and $84 insurance.
Counties in Iowa you can afford on $50,000
26 of 99 counties have a typical home value at or below $168,000. The 25 priciest of them:
| County | Typical home | 1-yr change | Tax rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | $164,193 | +4.8% | 1.34% |
| Floyd County | $162,346 | +7.9% | 1.34% |
| Humboldt County | $161,998 | +4.5% | 1.29% |
| Union County | $161,122 | +3.6% | 1.8% |
| Monona County | $160,962 | +2.3% | 1.03% |
| Audubon County | $159,348 | +7.2% | 1.34% |
| Cherokee County | $158,629 | +0.7% | 0.99% |
| Adams County | $158,274 | -0.6% | 1.26% |
| Winnebago County | $156,421 | +7.1% | 1.32% |
| Fayette County | $156,403 | +4.3% | 1.3% |
| Emmet County | $156,199 | +11.5% | 1.47% |
| Franklin County | $155,229 | +6.2% | 1.32% |
| Calhoun County | $153,847 | +9.8% | 1.32% |
| Page County | $150,044 | +2.6% | 1.41% |
| Des Moines County | $147,927 | +2.7% | 1.51% |
| Hardin County | $145,267 | +1.2% | 1.37% |
| Keokuk County | $143,138 | +5.1% | 1.26% |
| Taylor County | $141,844 | +13.7% | 1.26% |
| Wayne County | $140,476 | +5.2% | 1.36% |
| Montgomery County | $139,432 | -4.6% | 1.65% |
| Webster County | $138,265 | +1.1% | 1.39% |
| Wright County | $132,781 | -0.0% | 1.51% |
| Wapello County | $127,798 | +2.4% | 1.58% |
| Lee County | $124,938 | +1.9% | 1.38% |
| Appanoose County | $116,296 | -2.6% | 1.34% |
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 $50,000 in Iowa?
About $168,000 with 20% down at 7.11%, keeping the payment (with Iowa's 1.27% property tax and insurance) under $1,167 a month.
Is $50,000 enough to buy a house in Iowa?
Not the typical home: the typical Iowa home is worth $236,623 (Zillow, September 2026) and $50,000 supports about $168,000. 26 of 99 counties are within budget.