Home / Home Buying by state / Iowa / Des Moines County / Mediapolis

Buying a home in Mediapolis, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Mediapolis is worth about $179,700, 14% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 46% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,284 a year in property taxes, about 1.27% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $75,543 a year, so the median home costs 2.4 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 58% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Mediapolis at a glance

Mediapolis Iowa U.S.
Median home value $179,700 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,284 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.27% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $75,543 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 78% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 58% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,389 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.2% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,040 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 38.7% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1972 1980
Vacant homes 5.4% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 1,928 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Mediapolis

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Mediapolis home of $179,700 with 20% down costs about $1,232 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,532, 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 $52,806 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Mediapolis household income of $75,543; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $257,000.

The median rent here is $1,040 a month, so owning the median home costs about $192 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$35,940
Loan amount$143,760
Principal and interest$967
Property taxes (1.27% a year)$190
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$75
PMI$0
Total per month$1,232

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,290
Loan amount$176,445
Principal and interest$1,187
Property taxes (1.27% a year)$190
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$75
FHA mortgage insurance$79
Total per month$1,532

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Mediapolis

What is the median home value in Mediapolis?

About $179,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Mediapolis?

Homeowners pay a median $2,284 a year, which is about 1.27% 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 Mediapolis?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,232 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $52,806 a year.

More about Mediapolis

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