The typical owner-occupied home in Laurel is worth about $103,100, 50% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 69% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,039 a year in property taxes, about 1.01% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $61,250 a year, so the median home costs 1.7 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 79% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Laurel at a glance
| Laurel | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $103,100 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,039 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.01% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $61,250 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 79% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 52% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,183 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 22.0% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $666 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 22.8% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1948 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 13.0% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 278 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Laurel
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Laurel home of $103,100 with 20% down costs about $685 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $856, 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 $29,339 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 13% of the median Laurel household income of $61,250; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $215,000.
The median rent here is $666 a month, so owning the median home costs about $19 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $20,620 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $82,480 |
| Principal and interest | $555 |
| Property taxes (1.01% a year) | $87 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $43 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $685 |
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| Down payment | $3,608 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $101,233 |
| Principal and interest | $681 |
| Property taxes (1.01% a year) | $87 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $43 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $46 |
| Total per month | $856 |
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Questions about home buying in Laurel
What is the median home value in Laurel?
About $103,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Laurel?
Homeowners pay a median $1,039 a year, which is about 1.01% 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 Laurel?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $685 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $29,339 a year.
More about Laurel
- Mortgage Refinance in Laurel
- Debt Relief in Laurel
- Home Equity Loans in Laurel
- 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