The typical owner-occupied home in Moorhead is worth about $54,200, 74% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 84% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $757 a year in property taxes, about 1.40% of their home's value, close to the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $45,000 a year, so the median home costs 1.2 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 85% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 26% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Moorhead at a glance
| Moorhead | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $54,200 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $757 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.40% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $45,000 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 85% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 26% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $850 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 34.4% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,016 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 30.8% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 14.3% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 195 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Moorhead
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Moorhead home of $54,200 with 20% down costs about $378 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $468, 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 $16,179 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 10% of the median Moorhead household income of $45,000; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $151,000.
The median rent here is $1,016 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $10,840 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $43,360 |
| Principal and interest | $292 |
| Property taxes (1.40% a year) | $63 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $23 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $378 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $1,897 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $53,218 |
| Principal and interest | $358 |
| Property taxes (1.40% a year) | $63 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $23 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $24 |
| Total per month | $468 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Moorhead
What is the median home value in Moorhead?
About $54,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Moorhead?
Homeowners pay a median $757 a year, which is about 1.40% 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 Moorhead?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $378 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $16,179 a year.
More about Moorhead
- Mortgage Refinance in Moorhead
- Debt Relief in Moorhead
- Home Equity Loans in Moorhead
- 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