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Buying a home in Grimes, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Grimes is worth about $304,700, 46% above the Iowa median of $208,000 and 8% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $5,377 a year in property taxes, about 1.76% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $120,037 a year, so the median home costs 2.5 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 71% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 81% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Grimes at a glance

Grimes Iowa U.S.
Median home value $304,700 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $5,377 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.76% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $120,037 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 71% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 81% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,937 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.9% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,251 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 21.9% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 2009 1972 1980
Vacant homes 1.7% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 16,366 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Grimes

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Grimes home of $304,700 with 20% down costs about $2,214 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,721, 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 $94,870 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 22% of the median Grimes household income of $120,037; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $386,000.

The median rent here is $1,251 a month, so owning the median home costs about $963 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$60,940
Loan amount$243,760
Principal and interest$1,640
Property taxes (1.76% a year)$447
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$127
PMI$0
Total per month$2,214

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,664
Loan amount$299,181
Principal and interest$2,013
Property taxes (1.76% a year)$447
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$127
FHA mortgage insurance$135
Total per month$2,721

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Questions about home buying in Grimes

What is the median home value in Grimes?

About $304,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Grimes?

Homeowners pay a median $5,377 a year, which is about 1.76% 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 Grimes?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,214 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $94,870 a year.

More about Grimes

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