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Buying a home in Marion, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Marion is worth about $241,700, 16% above the Iowa median of $208,000 and 27% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,280 a year in property taxes, about 1.77% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $86,743 a year, so the median home costs 2.8 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 68% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Marion at a glance

Marion Iowa U.S.
Median home value $241,700 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,280 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.77% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $86,743 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 77% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 68% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,770 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.8% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $961 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 32.2% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1994 1972 1980
Vacant homes 6.2% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 41,896 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Marion

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Marion home of $241,700 with 20% down costs about $1,758 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,161, 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 $75,342 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 24% of the median Marion household income of $86,743; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $278,000.

The median rent here is $961 a month, so owning the median home costs about $797 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$48,340
Loan amount$193,360
Principal and interest$1,301
Property taxes (1.77% a year)$357
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$101
PMI$0
Total per month$1,758

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,460
Loan amount$237,322
Principal and interest$1,596
Property taxes (1.77% a year)$357
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$101
FHA mortgage insurance$107
Total per month$2,161

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Questions about home buying in Marion

What is the median home value in Marion?

About $241,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Marion?

Homeowners pay a median $4,280 a year, which is about 1.77% 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 Marion?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,758 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $75,342 a year.

More about Marion

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