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Buying a home in Maxwell, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Maxwell is worth about $184,600, 11% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 45% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,494 a year in property taxes, about 1.35% of their home's value, close to the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $97,639 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 88% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 71% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Maxwell at a glance

Maxwell Iowa U.S.
Median home value $184,600 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,494 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.35% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $97,639 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 88% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 71% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,640 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.9% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $650 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.1% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1955 1972 1980
Vacant homes 4.3% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 905 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Maxwell

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Maxwell home of $184,600 with 20% down costs about $1,278 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,586, 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 $54,773 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Maxwell household income of $97,639; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $329,000.

The median rent here is $650 a month, so owning the median home costs about $628 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$36,920
Loan amount$147,680
Principal and interest$993
Property taxes (1.35% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$77
PMI$0
Total per month$1,278

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,461
Loan amount$181,256
Principal and interest$1,219
Property taxes (1.35% a year)$208
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$77
FHA mortgage insurance$82
Total per month$1,586

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Questions about home buying in Maxwell

What is the median home value in Maxwell?

About $184,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Maxwell?

Homeowners pay a median $2,494 a year, which is about 1.35% 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 Maxwell?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,278 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $54,773 a year.

More about Maxwell

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