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Buying a home in Keystone, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Keystone is worth about $148,400, 29% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 55% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,617 a year in property taxes, about 1.09% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $67,500 a year, so the median home costs 2.2 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Keystone at a glance

Keystone Iowa U.S.
Median home value $148,400 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,617 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.09% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $67,500 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 78% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 56% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,196 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.4% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $892 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.3% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1941 1972 1980
Vacant homes 3.9% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 674 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Keystone

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Keystone home of $148,400 with 20% down costs about $995 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,242, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $42,654 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 18% of the median Keystone household income of $67,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $235,000.

The median rent here is $892 a month, so owning the median home costs about $103 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$29,680
Loan amount$118,720
Principal and interest$799
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$135
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$62
PMI$0
Total per month$995

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,194
Loan amount$145,712
Principal and interest$980
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$135
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$62
FHA mortgage insurance$66
Total per month$1,242

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Questions about home buying in Keystone

What is the median home value in Keystone?

About $148,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Keystone?

Homeowners pay a median $1,617 a year, which is about 1.09% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Keystone?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $995 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $42,654 a year.

More about Keystone

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data