Iowa Housing Affordability Index
Iowa’s MBR Housing Affordability Index score is 125.0 (Highly Affordable) as of October 13, 2026, ranking 5th most affordable of 51 states, compared with a national score of 97.1. On a median-priced $208,000 home in Iowa with 20% down, the current 7.49% 30-year fixed rate means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $1,162, or 19% of the state’s $75,059 median household income.
Daily MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) score for Iowa compared to the national average. Updated every night using live mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income and home value data. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.
Housing Affordability Across U.S. States
MBR-HAI score for every state as of October 13, 2026, with Iowa outlined. Green states are more affordable than the national baseline of 100; red states are less affordable. Hover for the rank; click through to any state.
National baseline = 100 (computed at the 6.5% reference rate). Scores update every morning. Hover any state for its rank; click to open that state's page.
Free to reuse with the citation shown on the image.
Iowa Affordability Ranking
Iowa MBR-HAI · 90-Day Trend
Dashed line = national average. Amber dashed line = 100 baseline. Score updates each morning after the nightly rate aggregation run.
Key Affordability Factors · Iowa
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and Current Population Survey. Mortgage rate from MBR live rate database.
How Iowa Ranks Among All States
| Rank | State | MBR-HAI Score | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲ See top 1 state → | |||
| 2 | Arkansas | 134.9 | Highly Affordable |
| 3 | Alabama | 133.6 | Highly Affordable |
| 4 | Mississippi | 130.7 | Highly Affordable |
| 5 | Iowa You are here | 125.0 | Highly Affordable |
| 6 | Louisiana | 124.5 | Highly Affordable |
| 7 | Indiana | 123.2 | Highly Affordable |
| 8 | Kentucky | 120.1 | Highly Affordable |
| ▼ See all 51 state rankings → | |||
Showing states ranked near Iowa · October 13, 2026 • View complete national rankings →
Download Iowa HAI Data
2026-10-13,IA,125.0,97.1,7.486
Daily scores for all 51 states, filter by state or date in Excel or Google Sheets.
All States (CSV)Press & Citation Resources · Iowa
Ready-to-publish sentences using today's Iowa data, an email template you can send to clients, and direct contact for press inquiries or custom data requests.
Ready-to-Publish Sentences
Each sentence updates daily with the live Iowa score. Free for editorial use with attribution to MonitorBankRates.
In Iowa, the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index stood at 125.0 on October 13, 2026, ranking #5 of 51 U.S. states for homeownership affordability and indicating highly affordable conditions relative to the national baseline. The state-level reading combines Iowa's 30-year mortgage rate average of 7.486% with U.S. Census Bureau housing values, household income, property taxes, and cost burden data.
“Iowa's MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index score of 125.0 places it #5 of 51 nationwide. Above the 100 baseline, that means buyer purchasing power in Iowa is stronger than the long-run national average computed at a 6.5% mortgage rate. The state's 30-year average is currently 7.486%, and the index outperforms the national average.”
Brian McKay, MonitorBankRates
🏠 MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index. Iowa: 125.0 (Highly Affordable), rank #5 of 51 states. 30-yr mortgage avg: 7.49%. National baseline = 100. Updated daily · via @MonitorBankRates → https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/iowa/
Housing affordability in Iowa is currently sitting at 125.0 on the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, ranking it #5 of 51 U.S. states. With 100 representing the long-term national baseline at a 6.5% reference rate, Iowa's 30-year mortgage rate of 7.49% reflects highly affordable conditions for local buyers. The state outperforms the national average as a whole.
Mortgage Broker Email Template
Pre-written client update for Iowa homebuyers. Personalize the bracketed fields and send.
For Press & Researchers
The Iowa MBR-HAI is free to cite for editorial, academic, and policy use with attribution. We're happy to provide additional support:
- Custom data cuts: Iowa metros, MSAs, or historical slices on request
- Embargo-friendly releases: give us 24 hours notice for scheduled coverage
- Background interviews: methodology, market context, or commentary on rate moves
- Direct contact: contact form or reply to any address listed there
For our published citation history and recent media mentions, see MBR in the Press.
