The typical owner-occupied home in Portsmouth is worth about $125,000, 40% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 62% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,537 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 $80,781 a year, so the median home costs 1.5 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 93% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 80% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Portsmouth at a glance
| Portsmouth | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $125,000 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,537 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.23% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $80,781 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 93% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 80% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,040 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 13.8% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $769 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 42.5% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1956 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 3.7% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 204 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Portsmouth
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Portsmouth home of $125,000 with 20% down costs about $853 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,061, 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 $36,554 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 13% of the median Portsmouth household income of $80,781; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $276,000.
The median rent here is $769 a month, so owning the median home costs about $84 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $25,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $100,000 |
| Principal and interest | $673 |
| Property taxes (1.23% a year) | $128 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $52 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $853 |
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| Down payment | $4,375 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $122,736 |
| Principal and interest | $826 |
| Property taxes (1.23% a year) | $128 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $52 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $55 |
| Total per month | $1,061 |
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Questions about home buying in Portsmouth
What is the median home value in Portsmouth?
About $125,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Portsmouth?
Homeowners pay a median $1,537 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 Portsmouth?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $853 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $36,554 a year.
More about Portsmouth
- Mortgage Refinance in Portsmouth
- Debt Relief in Portsmouth
- Home Equity Loans in Portsmouth
- 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