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Iowa Housing Affordability Index | MonitorBankRates (MBR-HAI)

Iowa Housing Affordability Index

Daily affordability 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.

Live Score
Iowa
130.5
Highly Affordable
MBR-HAI • May 26, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Average
100.0
Near National Average
MBR-HAI • May 26, 2026
0 vs. prior day
National Rank #5 of 51 states
vs. National Average +30.5 points
30-yr Rate Used 6.303%
Median Home Value $208,000
Median Household Income $75,059

Iowa Affordability Ranking

#5 of 51 states · May 26, 2026 Top 20% most affordable
Most Affordable Least Affordable
More affordable than: 46 of 51 states (90%)
Less affordable than: 4 of 51 states (8%)
MBR-HAI Score: 130.5 vs. national 100.0 (+30.5 points)
Nearby States
↑ 2 more affordable states above
#3 AL 137.2
#4 MS 134.6
#5 Iowa ◀ 130.5
#6 LA 127.9
#7 IN 126.8
↓ 44 less affordable states below
Top 5 Most Affordable
#1 WV 148.1
#2 AR 139.9
#3 AL 137.2
#4 MS 134.6
#5 IA ◀ 130.5
Bottom 5 Least Affordable
#47 OR 79.7
#48 DC 78.7
#49 MA 77.8
#50 HI 70.7
#51 CA 68.4

View full 51-state rankings →

Iowa MBR-HAI · 90-Day Trend

Iowa
National Average

Dashed line = national average. Amber dashed line = 100 baseline. Score updates each morning after the nightly rate aggregation run.

Key Affordability Factors · Iowa

$208,000
Median Home Value
U.S. median: varies by state
$75,059
Median Household Income
U.S. median: $80,734
2.8x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Home value ÷ income
$1,102/mo
Median Owner Costs
17.6% of income annually
$2,726/yr
Median Property Tax
1.31% effective rate
70.9%
Homeownership Rate
U.S. average: 65.7%
20.3%
Owner Cost Burden
% spending 30%+ of income on housing
6.303%
30-yr Mortgage Rate
State average • May 26, 2026

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

#5
of 51 states
Least Affordable Most Affordable
Iowa is more affordable than 92% of U.S. states, Highly Affordable
130.5
MBR-HAI Score
Rank State MBR-HAI Score Affordability
▲ See top 1 state →
2 Arkansas 139.9 Highly Affordable
3 Alabama 137.2 Highly Affordable
4 Mississippi 134.6 Highly Affordable
5 Iowa You are here 130.5 Highly Affordable
6 Louisiana 127.9 Highly Affordable
7 Indiana 126.8 Highly Affordable
8 Kentucky 124.6 Highly Affordable
▼ See all 51 state rankings →

Showing states ranked near Iowa · May 26, 2026 • View complete national rankings →

Download Iowa HAI Data

Iowa History (CSV)
Daily score vs. national • all dates
date,state,hai_score,national_score,rate_used
2026-05-26,IA,130.5,100.0,6.303
Download IA History (CSV)
All 51 States (CSV)
Compare Iowa to every state

Daily scores for all 51 states, filter by state or date in Excel or Google Sheets.

All States (CSV)
Cite the Iowa MBR-HAI
Editorial / press citation
“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, May 26, 2026. Iowa score: 130.5 (Highly Affordable), ranked #5 of 51 states. Methodology: monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index-methodology”
APA 7th edition (academic)
Monitor Bank Rates LLC. (2026, May 26). MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index: Iowa [Data set]. https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/iowa/

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.

News Lead · AP-style, factual

In Iowa, the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index stood at 130.5 on May 26, 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 6.303% with U.S. Census Bureau housing values, household income, property taxes, and cost burden data.

Analyst Quote · with voice, attributable

“Iowa's MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index score of 130.5 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 6.303%, and the index outperforms the national average.”

Brian McKay, MonitorBankRates

Social Media · concise, share-friendly

🏠 MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index. Iowa: 130.5 (Highly Affordable), rank #5 of 51 states. 30-yr mortgage avg: 6.30%. National baseline = 100. Updated daily · via @MonitorBankRates → https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/iowa/

Casual / Blog · conversational

Housing affordability in Iowa is currently sitting at 130.5 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 6.30% 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.

SubjectHousing affordability snapshot for Iowa: what it means for your search
Hi [Client Name], Wanted to share a quick affordability snapshot for Iowa from the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, a daily-updated composite that tracks how affordable U.S. homeownership is right now. Iowa's current reading: 130.5 (Highly Affordable), rank #5 of 51 states National reading: 100.030-year mortgage rate average in Iowa: 6.303% The index baseline of 100 represents long-run typical conditions at a 6.5% reference rate. Iowa currently outperforms the national average. For full state context (including the 90-day trend, key affordability factors, and how Iowa compares to neighboring states) see: https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/iowa/ Always happy to discuss what this means for your specific situation. Best, [Your Name]

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.