The typical owner-occupied home in Dow City is worth about $126,900, 39% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 62% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,341 a year in property taxes, about 1.06% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $48,421 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 43% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Dow City at a glance
| Dow City | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,900 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,341 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.06% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $48,421 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 43% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,138 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 20.7% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $747 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.0% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1961 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 0.0% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 454 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Dow City
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Dow City home of $126,900 with 20% down costs about $848 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,059, 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 $36,339 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Dow City household income of $48,421; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $169,000.
The median rent here is $747 a month, so owning the median home costs about $101 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $25,380 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $101,520 |
| Principal and interest | $683 |
| Property taxes (1.06% a year) | $112 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $53 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $848 |
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| Down payment | $4,442 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $124,602 |
| Principal and interest | $838 |
| Property taxes (1.06% a year) | $112 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $53 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $56 |
| Total per month | $1,059 |
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Questions about home buying in Dow City
What is the median home value in Dow City?
About $126,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Dow City?
Homeowners pay a median $1,341 a year, which is about 1.06% 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 Dow City?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $848 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $36,339 a year.
More about Dow City
- Mortgage Refinance in Dow City
- Debt Relief in Dow City
- Home Equity Loans in Dow City
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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