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Buying a home in Fairbank, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Fairbank is worth about $186,900, 10% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 44% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,138 a year in property taxes, about 1.14% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $89,712 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 80% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 59% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Fairbank at a glance

Fairbank Iowa U.S.
Median home value $186,900 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,138 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.14% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $89,712 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 80% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 59% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,470 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.8% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $686 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 19.0% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1972 1972 1980
Vacant homes 4.9% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 1,275 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Fairbank

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Fairbank home of $186,900 with 20% down costs about $1,261 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,573, 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 $54,054 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 17% of the median Fairbank household income of $89,712; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $310,000.

The median rent here is $686 a month, so owning the median home costs about $575 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$37,380
Loan amount$149,520
Principal and interest$1,006
Property taxes (1.14% a year)$178
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$78
PMI$0
Total per month$1,261

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,542
Loan amount$183,515
Principal and interest$1,235
Property taxes (1.14% a year)$178
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$78
FHA mortgage insurance$83
Total per month$1,573

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Questions about home buying in Fairbank

What is the median home value in Fairbank?

About $186,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Fairbank?

Homeowners pay a median $2,138 a year, which is about 1.14% 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 Fairbank?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,261 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $54,054 a year.

More about Fairbank

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