The typical owner-occupied home in Elgin is worth about $98,800, 52% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 70% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,651 a year in property taxes, about 1.67% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $54,688 a year, so the median home costs 1.8 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 36% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Elgin at a glance
| Elgin | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,800 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,651 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.67% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $54,688 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 83% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 36% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,075 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.4% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $538 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 19.0% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1973 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 11.9% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 735 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Elgin
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Elgin home of $98,800 with 20% down costs about $710 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $875, 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 $30,444 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Elgin household income of $54,688; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $177,000.
The median rent here is $538 a month, so owning the median home costs about $172 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $19,760 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $79,040 |
| Principal and interest | $532 |
| Property taxes (1.67% a year) | $138 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $41 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $710 |
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| Down payment | $3,458 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $97,010 |
| Principal and interest | $653 |
| Property taxes (1.67% a year) | $138 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $41 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $44 |
| Total per month | $875 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Elgin
What is the median home value in Elgin?
About $98,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Elgin?
Homeowners pay a median $1,651 a year, which is about 1.67% 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 Elgin?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $710 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $30,444 a year.
More about Elgin
- Mortgage Refinance in Elgin
- Debt Relief in Elgin
- Home Equity Loans in Elgin
- 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