Photo: Tim Fontenot · Public domain44 homes sold in Iowa in the last year, at a typical $223K
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 Iowa homes are listed.
Every place Iowa 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 Iowa.
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 98% of Iowa’s sales, at a typical $224K
44 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 43 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $131LA $144
- Days to sell
- 130
- Sold over asking
- 9%
- Listings with a price cut
- 20%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 1 sold, typical $205K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.2 times the 2016 price
44 sales in the last year, against 58 in 2017 and a low of 21 in 2024. The typical sale went from $182K in 2016 to $223K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $200K buys in Iowa
Check a listing against what Iowa 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 Iowa are back to pre-pandemic levels, with about as many homes for sale
We read every month of Iowa’s home sales since 2015 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, 44 sales.
If you’re buying in Iowa
- Shop in July. It brings about 5 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (3% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 97.4% of the list price on average; 9% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 14% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 132 days.
Spring brings the homes; fall brings the bidding wars
April has the most new listings (about 6 a month), but September is the most competitive: 17% of September sales close over asking. July offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (3%). March has the least competition (2%) but only about 3 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and about like Louisiana as a whole
| Iowa now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | LA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 9% | 7% | 21% | 12% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 14% | 3% | 4% | 23% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 19% | — | — | 25% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 97.4% | 99% | 94.4% | 97% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 132 | 172 | 128 | 66 |
16 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 2.4 times the 2021 low (7), 12% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2016’s 25.
1 in 5 listings has cut its price
19% in the last year, against — in 2017–19 and 25% across Louisiana.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2015 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Iowa home costs about $1,210 a month
Price: Iowa’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Iowa’s 0.3% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Iowa is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in April
The month with the most choice. November 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 $223K home, about $560 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Iowa, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in IowaCheck 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.
Westlake, Sulphur and Jennings sell for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Iowa, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles | 870 | $221K | $126 | 7% | 90 |
| Sulphur | 249 | $188K | $112 | 10% | 87 |
| Moss Bluff | 130 | $273K | $130 | 9% | 76 |
| Jennings | 62 | $158K | $96 | 15% | 62 |
| Prien | 60 | $291K | $138 | 7% | 88 |
| Westlake | 58 | $201K | $114 | 5% | 119 |
| Iowa | 44 | $223K | $130 | 9% | 132 |
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 Iowa, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Iowa. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Iowa with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Iowa
What do homes sell for in Iowa, LA?
44 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $223K, $130 a square foot.
Is Iowa a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A balanced market: 13 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 3 sold, about 4.3 months of supply. Buyers paid 97.4% of asking on average, and 19% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Iowa?
April brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Iowa?
About 0.3% of a home’s value a year. On a $223K home that’s near $560.
Where can I see homes for sale in Iowa?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Iowa’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Iowa.
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).