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Buying a home in Oakland, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Oakland is worth about $160,200, 23% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 52% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,971 a year in property taxes, about 1.23% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $81,354 a year, so the median home costs 2.0 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Oakland at a glance

Oakland Iowa U.S.
Median home value $160,200 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,971 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.23% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $81,354 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 63% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 53% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,193 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 14.5% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $878 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 22.2% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1960 1972 1980
Vacant homes 12.0% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 1,408 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Oakland

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Oakland home of $160,200 with 20% down costs about $1,093 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,360, 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 $46,847 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Oakland household income of $81,354; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $278,000.

The median rent here is $878 a month, so owning the median home costs about $215 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$32,040
Loan amount$128,160
Principal and interest$862
Property taxes (1.23% a year)$164
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$67
PMI$0
Total per month$1,093

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,607
Loan amount$157,298
Principal and interest$1,058
Property taxes (1.23% a year)$164
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$67
FHA mortgage insurance$71
Total per month$1,360

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Questions about home buying in Oakland

What is the median home value in Oakland?

About $160,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Oakland?

Homeowners pay a median $1,971 a year, which is about 1.23% 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 Oakland?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,093 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $46,847 a year.

More about Oakland

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