Home / Home Buying by state / Iowa / Warren County / Martensdale

Buying a home in Martensdale, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Martensdale is worth about $181,400, 13% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 45% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,594 a year in property taxes, about 1.43% of their home's value, close to the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $57,500 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 72% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 67% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Martensdale at a glance

Martensdale Iowa U.S.
Median home value $181,400 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $2,594 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.43% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $57,500 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 72% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 67% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,301 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.2% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $858 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 27.3% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1972 1980
Vacant homes 5.2% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 569 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Martensdale

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Martensdale home of $181,400 with 20% down costs about $1,268 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,570, 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 $54,342 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 26% of the median Martensdale household income of $57,500; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $192,000.

The median rent here is $858 a month, so owning the median home costs about $410 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$36,280
Loan amount$145,120
Principal and interest$976
Property taxes (1.43% a year)$216
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$76
PMI$0
Total per month$1,268

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,349
Loan amount$178,114
Principal and interest$1,198
Property taxes (1.43% a year)$216
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$76
FHA mortgage insurance$80
Total per month$1,570

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Martensdale

What is the median home value in Martensdale?

About $181,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Martensdale?

Homeowners pay a median $2,594 a year, which is about 1.43% 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 Martensdale?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,268 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $54,342 a year.

More about Martensdale

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