The typical owner-occupied home in Melvin is worth about $68,000, 67% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 80% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $825 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 $65,417 a year, so the median home costs 1.0 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 91% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Melvin at a glance
| Melvin | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $68,000 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $825 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.21% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $65,417 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 91% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 53% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,018 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 16.5% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $538 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 23.8% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1956 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 9.2% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 230 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Melvin
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Melvin home of $68,000 with 20% down costs about $463 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $576, 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 $19,836 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 8% of the median Melvin household income of $65,417; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $224,000.
The median rent here is $538 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $13,600 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $54,400 |
| Principal and interest | $366 |
| Property taxes (1.21% a year) | $69 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $28 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $463 |
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| Down payment | $2,380 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $66,768 |
| Principal and interest | $449 |
| Property taxes (1.21% a year) | $69 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $28 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $30 |
| Total per month | $576 |
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Questions about home buying in Melvin
What is the median home value in Melvin?
About $68,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Melvin?
Homeowners pay a median $825 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 Melvin?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $463 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $19,836 a year.
More about Melvin
- Mortgage Refinance in Melvin
- Debt Relief in Melvin
- Home Equity Loans in Melvin
- 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