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Buying a home in Meriden, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Meriden is worth about $74,000, 64% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 78% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $967 a year in property taxes, about 1.31% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $55,333 a year, so the median home costs 1.3 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 74% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 44% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Meriden at a glance

Meriden Iowa U.S.
Median home value $74,000 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $967 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.31% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $55,333 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 74% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 44% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage – $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 13.1% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $594 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 21.8% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1967 1972 1980
Vacant homes 8.1% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 138 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Meriden

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Meriden home of $74,000 with 20% down costs about $510 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $633, 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 $21,851 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 11% of the median Meriden household income of $55,333; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $187,000.

The median rent here is $594 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$14,800
Loan amount$59,200
Principal and interest$398
Property taxes (1.31% a year)$81
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$31
PMI$0
Total per month$510

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$2,590
Loan amount$72,660
Principal and interest$489
Property taxes (1.31% a year)$81
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$31
FHA mortgage insurance$33
Total per month$633

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Questions about home buying in Meriden

What is the median home value in Meriden?

About $74,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Meriden?

Homeowners pay a median $967 a year, which is about 1.31% 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 Meriden?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $510 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $21,851 a year.

More about Meriden

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