South English, IA Housing Affordability Index
South English, Iowa has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 176.0 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 410th most affordable of 891 scored Iowa cities, compared with 126.4 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $97,000 home with 20% down, the Iowa average 30-year fixed rate of 7.17% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $525, or 12% of the city’s $51,016 median household income.
The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for South English 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.
South English is 49.7 points above the Iowa score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Iowa index
View South English Mortgage RatesSee What You Can Afford in South English, Iowa
Use this South English, 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 South English median income of $51,016, with no other debts and $19,000 down, can afford a home of about $156,855, compared with a median home value of $97,000. Buying the median priced home with 20% down takes a household income of about $27,800 once property tax and insurance are counted.
| Loan amount | $137,855 |
| Principal & interest | $933/mo |
| Property tax | $135/mo |
| Home insurance | $65/mo |
| PMI | $57/mo |
| Total monthly payment | $1,190/mo |
How much house can you afford in South English?
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 South English, property taxes run about 1.03% 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 $2,714 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 South English
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for South English, Iowa. The rate is the Iowa average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.
How South English Ranks in Iowa
Cite the South English Score
Explore Further
Scores update each morning, computed from rate data captured the previous night. Score of 100 = national average at a 6.5% reference rate.
