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Buying a home in Osceola, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Osceola is worth about $146,300, 30% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 56% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,547 a year in property taxes, about 1.74% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $68,284 a year, so the median home costs 2.1 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 62% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 70% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Osceola at a glance

Osceola Iowa U.S.
Median home value $146,300 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,547 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.74% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $68,284 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 62% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 70% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,377 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.5% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $943 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 29.1% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1975 1972 1980
Vacant homes 12.4% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 5,523 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Osceola

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Osceola home of $146,300 with 20% down costs about $1,060 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,304, 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 $45,447 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Osceola household income of $68,284; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $220,000.

The median rent here is $943 a month, so owning the median home costs about $117 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$29,260
Loan amount$117,040
Principal and interest$787
Property taxes (1.74% a year)$212
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$61
PMI$0
Total per month$1,060

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,120
Loan amount$143,650
Principal and interest$966
Property taxes (1.74% a year)$212
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$61
FHA mortgage insurance$65
Total per month$1,304

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Questions about home buying in Osceola

What is the median home value in Osceola?

About $146,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Osceola?

Homeowners pay a median $2,547 a year, which is about 1.74% 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 Osceola?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,060 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $45,447 a year.

More about Osceola

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