Photo: Iowahwyman · CC BY-SA 3.0328 homes sold in Johnston in the last year, at a typical $382K
About one sale in 3 is a condo. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Johnston homes are listed.
Every place Johnston 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 Johnston.
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.
A third of Johnston’s sales are condos, at $169K less than a house
228 houses and 98 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster.
typical sale · 228 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $236IA $158
- Days to sell
- 49
- Sold over asking
- 18%
- Listings with a price cut
- 32%
typical sale · 98 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $185IA $165
- Days to sell
- 64
- Sold over asking
- 17%
- Listings with a price cut
- 33%
Townhouses: 2 sold, typical $318K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.5 times the 2016 price
328 sales in the last year, against 457 in 2016 and a low of 327 in 2012. The typical sale went from $257K in 2016 to $382K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $400K buys in Johnston
Check a listing against what Johnston homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Johnston are back to pre-pandemic levels, with about as many homes for sale
We read every month of Johnston’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 May 2026, 328 sales.
If you’re buying in Johnston
- Shop in March. It brings about 44 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (23% over asking).
- You can negotiate. 32% of listings have cut their price, against 24% before the pandemic.
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.2% of the list price on average; 19% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 29% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 44 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 53 a month), but June is the most competitive: 30% of June sales close over asking. March and April offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (23%). January has the least competition (17%) but only about 27 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and about like Iowa as a whole
| Johnston now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 19% | 18% | 39% | 22% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 29% | 19% | 57% | 36% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 32% | 24% | 17% | 27% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.2% | 98.5% | 99.8% | 97.7% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 44 | 63 | 17 | 45 |
111 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s twice the 2021 low (54), 14% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2016’s 186.
1 in 3 listings has cut its price
32% in the last year, against 24% in 2017–19 and 27% across Iowa. More sellers are pricing high and coming down.
Since 2019, houses are up 41%, condos 35%
A house typically sold for $443K in the last year (228 sales), a condo for $274K (98).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Johnston ranks 47th of 64 busy Iowa markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Johnston is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Johnston home costs about $2,560 a month
Price: Johnston’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Johnston’s 1.8% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Johnston is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 19.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $382K home, about $6,810 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Johnston, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in JohnstonTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Johnston.
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.
Windsor Heights sells for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Johnston, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urbandale | 978 | $358K | $221 | 24% | 52 |
| Johnston | 328 | $382K | $221 | 19% | 44 |
| Grimes | 263 | $368K | $246 | 20% | 62 |
| Polk City | 124 | $403K | $263 | 20% | 67 |
| Windsor Heights | 81 | $290K | $195 | 26% | 38 |
| Granger | 55 | $324K | $241 | 22% | 80 |
| Saylorville | 41 | $338K | $247 | 15% | 51 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Johnston, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Johnston. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Johnston with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Johnston
What do homes sell for in Johnston, IA?
328 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $382K, $221 a square foot. Houses sold for about $443K, condos for about $274K.
Is Johnston a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 106 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 34 sold, about 3.1 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.2% of asking on average, and 32% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Johnston?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Johnston?
About 1.8% of a home’s value a year. On a $382K home that’s near $6,810.
Where can I see homes for sale in Johnston?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Johnston’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Johnston.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 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).