MonitorBankRates
☰
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

Laurel, IA Housing Affordability Index

Laurel, Iowa has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 184.5 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 360th most affordable of 891 scored Iowa cities, compared with 126.4 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $103,100 home with 20% down, the Iowa average 30-year fixed rate of 7.17% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $558, or 11% of the city’s $61,250 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Laurel 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.

Laurel MBR-HAI 184.5 Highly Affordable
Rank in Iowa 360 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 $103,100 U.S. Census Bureau

Laurel is 58.1 points above the Iowa score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Iowa index

View Laurel Mortgage Rates

See What You Can Afford in Laurel, Iowa

Use this Laurel, Iowa home affordability calculator to see how much house you can afford at today’s Iowa average 30-year mortgage rate of 7.17%. A household earning the Laurel median income of $61,250, with no other debts and $21,000 down, can afford a home of about $181,594, compared with a median home value of $103,100. Buying the median priced home with 20% down takes a household income of about $30,600 once property tax and insurance are counted.

Laurel median (Census)
Car, student loan, card minimums
Under 20% adds PMI
Iowa average, 30-year fixed
Laurel median bill (Census)
Estimate; use your quote
You can afford a home up to
$181,594
At or above the Laurel median home value of $103,100
Loan amount$160,594
Principal & interest$1,087/mo
Property tax$200/mo
Home insurance$76/mo
PMI$67/mo
Total monthly payment$1,429/mo
Compare Laurel Mortgage Rates

How much house can you afford in Laurel?

Most lenders use two limits. Your housing payment, including principal, interest, property tax, homeowners insurance and any PMI, should stay under about 28% of your gross monthly income, and all of your monthly debt payments together should stay under about 36%. The calculator takes whichever limit is lower, then works backward from that payment to the most expensive home it covers at the current rate.

In Laurel, property taxes run about 1.32% of a home’s value each year, based on the Census median tax bill, which counts against the same monthly budget as the mortgage. Each quarter point move in mortgage rates changes the price you can afford by roughly $3,075 for a median income household. A larger down payment, paying down other debts, or a lower rate from a local lender all raise your budget.

What It Takes to Buy in Laurel

$558/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.17%
$23,900
Income Needed
To keep principal and interest at 28% of income
$61,250
Median Household Income
Iowa: $75,059
1.7x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Iowa: 2.8x
$820/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,357/yr
Median Property Tax
1.32% of median value
34.5%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
17.2%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

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

Cite the Laurel Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Laurel, Iowa score: 184.5 (Highly Affordable), ranked 360 of 891 Iowa cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/iowa/laurel”