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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Altoona, IA Housing Affordability Index

Altoona, Iowa has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 109.6 (Near National Average) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 867th most affordable of 891 scored Iowa cities, compared with 126.4 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $274,600 home with 20% down, the Iowa average 30-year fixed rate of 7.17% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $1,487, or 21% of the city’s $86,114 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Altoona is updated every night from live Iowa mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Altoona MBR-HAI 109.6 Near National Average
Rank in Iowa 867 of 891 1 = most affordable
Iowa 126.4 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.17% Iowa lenders
Median home value $274,600 U.S. Census Bureau

Altoona is 16.8 points below the Iowa score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Iowa index

View Altoona Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in Altoona

$1,487/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.17%
$63,700
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$86,114
Median Household Income
Iowa: $75,059
3.2x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Iowa: 2.8x
$1,595/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$4,427/yr
Median Property Tax
1.61% of median value
22.6%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
46.9%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Altoona, Iowa. The rate is the Iowa average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Altoona Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Altoona, Iowa score: 109.6 (Near National Average), ranked 867 of 891 Iowa cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/iowa/altoona”