Home / Home Buying by state / Iowa / Clay County / Peterson

Buying a home in Peterson, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Peterson is worth about $93,500, 55% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 72% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,071 a year in property taxes, about 1.15% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $73,333 a year, so the median home costs 1.3 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 89% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 41% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Peterson at a glance

Peterson Iowa U.S.
Median home value $93,500 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,071 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.15% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $73,333 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 89% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 41% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,049 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 14.0% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $983 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 45.0% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1948 1972 1980
Vacant homes 16.4% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 298 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Peterson

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Peterson home of $93,500 with 20% down costs about $632 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $788, 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 $27,075 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 10% of the median Peterson household income of $73,333; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $253,000.

The median rent here is $983 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$18,700
Loan amount$74,800
Principal and interest$503
Property taxes (1.15% a year)$90
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$39
PMI$0
Total per month$632

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,272
Loan amount$91,806
Principal and interest$618
Property taxes (1.15% a year)$90
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$39
FHA mortgage insurance$41
Total per month$788

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Peterson

What is the median home value in Peterson?

About $93,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Peterson?

Homeowners pay a median $1,071 a year, which is about 1.15% 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 Peterson?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $632 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $27,075 a year.

More about Peterson

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