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Buying a home in Hillsboro, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Hillsboro is worth about $55,000, 74% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 83% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $667 a year in property taxes, about 1.21% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $53,125 a year, so the median home costs 1.0 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 48% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Hillsboro at a glance

Hillsboro Iowa U.S.
Median home value $55,000 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $667 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.21% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $53,125 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 48% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $795 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 13.2% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $850 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 33.1% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1938 1972 1980
Vacant homes 32.9% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 120 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Hillsboro

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Hillsboro home of $55,000 with 20% down costs about $374 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $466, 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 $16,044 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 8% of the median Hillsboro household income of $53,125; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $182,000.

The median rent here is $850 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$11,000
Loan amount$44,000
Principal and interest$296
Property taxes (1.21% a year)$55
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$23
PMI$0
Total per month$374

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$1,925
Loan amount$54,004
Principal and interest$363
Property taxes (1.21% a year)$55
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$23
FHA mortgage insurance$24
Total per month$466

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Questions about home buying in Hillsboro

What is the median home value in Hillsboro?

About $55,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Hillsboro?

Homeowners pay a median $667 a year, which is about 1.21% 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 Hillsboro?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $374 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $16,044 a year.

More about Hillsboro

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