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Buying a home in Dickens, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Dickens is worth about $99,300, 52% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 70% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $800 a year in property taxes, about 0.81% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $71,250 a year, so the median home costs 1.4 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 91% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 51% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Dickens at a glance

Dickens Iowa U.S.
Median home value $99,300 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $800 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.81% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $71,250 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 91% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 51% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $850 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 15.0% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent – $972 $1,413
Median year homes were built 1971 1972 1980
Vacant homes 20.0% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 131 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Dickens

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Dickens home of $99,300 with 20% down costs about $643 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $808, 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 $27,549 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 11% of the median Dickens household income of $71,250; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $257,000.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$19,860
Loan amount$79,440
Principal and interest$534
Property taxes (0.81% a year)$67
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$41
PMI$0
Total per month$643

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,476
Loan amount$97,501
Principal and interest$656
Property taxes (0.81% a year)$67
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$41
FHA mortgage insurance$44
Total per month$808

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Questions about home buying in Dickens

What is the median home value in Dickens?

About $99,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Dickens?

Homeowners pay a median $800 a year, which is about 0.81% 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 Dickens?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $643 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $27,549 a year.

More about Dickens

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