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Buying a home in Creston, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Creston is worth about $114,500, 45% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 66% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,096 a year in property taxes, about 1.83% of their home's value, higher than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $52,633 a year, so the median home costs 2.2 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 64% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Creston at a glance

Creston Iowa U.S.
Median home value $114,500 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,096 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.83% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $52,633 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 64% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 52% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,128 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 21.3% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $703 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 26.3% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1961 1972 1980
Vacant homes 10.8% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 7,435 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Creston

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Creston home of $114,500 with 20% down costs about $839 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,029, 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 $35,937 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Creston household income of $52,633; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $168,000.

The median rent here is $703 a month, so owning the median home costs about $136 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$22,900
Loan amount$91,600
Principal and interest$616
Property taxes (1.83% a year)$175
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
PMI$0
Total per month$839

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$4,008
Loan amount$112,426
Principal and interest$756
Property taxes (1.83% a year)$175
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$48
FHA mortgage insurance$51
Total per month$1,029

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Questions about home buying in Creston

What is the median home value in Creston?

About $114,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Creston?

Homeowners pay a median $2,096 a year, which is about 1.83% 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 Creston?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $839 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $35,937 a year.

More about Creston

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