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Buying a home in Denison, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Denison is worth about $150,200, 28% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 55% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,527 a year in property taxes, about 1.68% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $65,684 a year, so the median home costs 2.3 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Denison at a glance

Denison Iowa U.S.
Median home value $150,200 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,527 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.68% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $65,684 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 71% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 47% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,226 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 16.9% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $731 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 23.3% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1974 1972 1980
Vacant homes 4.9% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 8,260 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Denison

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Denison home of $150,200 with 20% down costs about $1,081 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,331, 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 $46,336 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Denison household income of $65,684; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $213,000.

The median rent here is $731 a month, so owning the median home costs about $350 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$30,040
Loan amount$120,160
Principal and interest$808
Property taxes (1.68% a year)$210
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$63
PMI$0
Total per month$1,081

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,257
Loan amount$147,480
Principal and interest$992
Property taxes (1.68% a year)$210
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$63
FHA mortgage insurance$66
Total per month$1,331

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Questions about home buying in Denison

What is the median home value in Denison?

About $150,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Denison?

Homeowners pay a median $2,527 a year, which is about 1.68% 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 Denison?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,081 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $46,336 a year.

More about Denison

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