Photo: Dan Breyfogle · CC BY-SA 3.048 homes sold in Jefferson in the last year, at a typical $168K
Almost every sale is a house. Below: what each kind of home sells for, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Jefferson homes are listed.
Every place Jefferson homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Jefferson.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
Houses are 0% of Jefferson’s sales, at a typical — (year to May 2026)
48 homes sold in the year to September 2026.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 2.2 times the 2016 price
48 sales in the last year, against 68 in 2025 and a low of 28 in 2012. The typical sale went from $77K in 2016 to $168K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
Bidding wars in Jefferson are more common than before the pandemic, and more homes are for sale
We read every month of Jefferson’s home sales since 2012 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 48 sales.
If you’re buying in Jefferson
- Shop in July. It brings about 6 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (10% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 96.7% of the list price on average; 17% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 31% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 40 days.
Summer brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
August has the most new listings (about 6 a month), but November is the most competitive: 16% of November sales close over asking. June and July offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (11%). February has the least competition (9%) but only about 3 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Hotter than in 2021, and about like Iowa as a whole
| Jefferson now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 17% | 8% | 7% | 20% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 31% | 2% | 24% | 35% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 96.7% | 92.9% | 94.7% | 97.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 40 | 106 | 54 | 46 |
26 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 2.8 times the 2021 low (9) and 17% more than in 2017–19.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Jefferson home costs about $1,083 a month
Price: Jefferson’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Jefferson’s 1.5% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Jefferson is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in August
The month with the most choice. February has the fewest, about 3.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $168K home, about $2,490 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Jefferson, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in JeffersonTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Jefferson.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
No busy market nearby sells for less a square foot; Lake Panorama for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Jefferson, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry | 77 | $177K | $140 | 12% | 42 |
| Lake Panorama | 50 | $719K | $442 | 3% | 62 |
| Jefferson | 48 | $168K | $120 | 17% | 40 |
| Ogden | 30 | $162K | $117 | 18% | 48 |
| Guthrie Center | 21 | $167K | $137 | 5% | 44 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Jefferson, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Jefferson. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Jefferson with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Jefferson
What do homes sell for in Jefferson, IA?
48 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $168K, $120 a square foot.
Is Jefferson a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A balanced market: 24 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 4 sold, about 5.6 months of supply. Buyers paid 96.7% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Jefferson?
August brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Jefferson?
About 1.5% of a home’s value a year. On a $168K home that’s near $2,490.
Where can I see homes for sale in Jefferson?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Jefferson’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Jefferson.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).