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Buying a home in Runnells, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Runnells is worth about $231,600, 11% above the Iowa median of $208,000 and 30% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,657 a year in property taxes, about 1.58% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $101,500 a year, so the median home costs 2.3 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 86% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 72% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Runnells at a glance

Runnells Iowa U.S.
Median home value $231,600 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,657 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.58% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $101,500 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 86% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 72% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,507 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.7% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $444 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 31.6% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1972 1972 1980
Vacant homes 2.2% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 440 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Runnells

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Runnells home of $231,600 with 20% down costs about $1,648 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,034, 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 $70,621 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Runnells household income of $101,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $333,000.

The median rent here is $444 a month, so owning the median home costs about $1,204 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$46,320
Loan amount$185,280
Principal and interest$1,246
Property taxes (1.58% a year)$305
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$96
PMI$0
Total per month$1,648

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$8,106
Loan amount$227,405
Principal and interest$1,530
Property taxes (1.58% a year)$305
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$96
FHA mortgage insurance$102
Total per month$2,034

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Questions about home buying in Runnells

What is the median home value in Runnells?

About $231,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Runnells?

Homeowners pay a median $3,657 a year, which is about 1.58% 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 Runnells?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,648 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $70,621 a year.

More about Runnells

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