The typical owner-occupied home in Guernsey is worth about $73,300, 65% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 78% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,000 a year in property taxes, about 1.36% of their home's value, close to the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $70,833 a year, so the median home costs 1.0 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 79% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 45% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Guernsey at a glance
| Guernsey | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $73,300 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,000 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.36% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $70,833 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 79% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 45% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,583 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 25.0% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $850 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 17.5% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1938 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 0.0% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 50 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Guernsey
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Guernsey home of $73,300 with 20% down costs about $508 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $630, 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 $21,776 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 9% of the median Guernsey household income of $70,833; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $238,000.
The median rent here is $850 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $14,660 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $58,640 |
| Principal and interest | $394 |
| Property taxes (1.36% a year) | $83 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $31 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $508 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $2,566 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $71,972 |
| Principal and interest | $484 |
| Property taxes (1.36% a year) | $83 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $31 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $32 |
| Total per month | $630 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Guernsey
What is the median home value in Guernsey?
About $73,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Guernsey?
Homeowners pay a median $1,000 a year, which is about 1.36% 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 Guernsey?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $508 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $21,776 a year.
More about Guernsey
- Mortgage Refinance in Guernsey
- Debt Relief in Guernsey
- Home Equity Loans in Guernsey
- 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