Photo: dwhartwig · CC BY 2.0394 homes sold in Mason City in the last year, at a typical $168K
Almost every sale is a house. 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 Mason City homes are listed.
Every place Mason City 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 Mason City.
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.
4% of Mason City’s sales are condos, at $72K more than a house
372 houses and 15 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster.
typical sale · 372 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $105IA $158
- Days to sell
- 60
- Sold over asking
- 19%
- Listings with a price cut
- 21%
typical sale · 15 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $141IA $165
- Days to sell
- 80
- Sold over asking
- 20%
- Listings with a price cut
- 50%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 6 sold, typical $94K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.6 times the 2016 price
394 sales in the last year, against 533 in 2021 and a low of 308 in 2014. The typical sale went from $105K 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.
What $150K buys in Mason City
Check a listing against what Mason City 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 Mason City are more common than before the pandemic, but 41% fewer homes come up for sale
We read every month of Mason City’s home sales since 2014 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, 394 sales.
If you’re buying in Mason City
- Shop in September. It brings about 45 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (18% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 96.5% of the list price on average; 19% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 33% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 58 days.
Summer brings both the most homes and the most bidding wars
July has the most new listings (about 51 a month), but June is the most competitive: 22% of June sales close over asking. August and September offer nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (20%). January has the least competition (14%) but only about 22 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and about like Iowa as a whole
| Mason City now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 19% | 9% | 29% | 20% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 33% | 0% | 0% | 35% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 96.5% | 94.9% | 97.3% | 97.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 58 | 111 | 69 | 46 |
117 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.5 times the 2023 low (79), 41% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2014’s 290.
Mason City ranks 45th of 91 busy Iowa markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Mason City is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2014 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 Mason City home costs about $1,093 a month
Price: Mason City’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Mason City’s 1.6% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Mason City is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in July
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 18.
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 $2,600 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Mason City, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Mason CityTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Mason City.
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.
Northwood and Forest City sell for less a square foot; Clear Lake for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Mason City, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason City | 394 | $168K | $112 | 19% | 58 |
| Clear Lake | 138 | $337K | $206 | 9% | 84 |
| Osage | 68 | $174K | $109 | 11% | 56 |
| Forest City | 47 | $144K | $96 | 13% | 60 |
| Garner | 41 | $218K | $132 | 10% | 54 |
| Northwood | 27 | $158K | $87 | 32% | 63 |
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 Mason City, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Mason City. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Mason City with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Mason City
What do homes sell for in Mason City, IA?
394 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $168K, $112 a square foot. Houses sold for about $164K, condos for about $236K in the year to May 2026.
Is Mason City a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A balanced market: 155 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 38 sold, about 4.1 months of supply. Buyers paid 96.5% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Mason City?
July brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Mason City?
About 1.6% of a home’s value a year. On a $168K home that’s near $2,600.
Where can I see homes for sale in Mason City?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Mason City’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Mason City.
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).