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Buying a home in Marcus, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Marcus is worth about $200,000, 4% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 40% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,513 a year in property taxes, about 0.76% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $77,981 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Marcus at a glance

Marcus Iowa U.S.
Median home value $200,000 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,513 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.76% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $77,981 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 83% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 53% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,250 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 16.6% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $639 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.1% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1958 1972 1980
Vacant homes 8.4% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 1,180 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Marcus

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Marcus home of $200,000 with 20% down costs about $1,286 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,620, 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 $55,128 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Marcus household income of $77,981; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $283,000.

The median rent here is $639 a month, so owning the median home costs about $647 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$40,000
Loan amount$160,000
Principal and interest$1,076
Property taxes (0.76% a year)$127
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
PMI$0
Total per month$1,286

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,000
Loan amount$196,378
Principal and interest$1,321
Property taxes (0.76% a year)$127
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
FHA mortgage insurance$88
Total per month$1,620

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Questions about home buying in Marcus

What is the median home value in Marcus?

About $200,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Marcus?

Homeowners pay a median $1,513 a year, which is about 0.76% 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 Marcus?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,286 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $55,128 a year.

More about Marcus

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