Home / Home Buying by state / Iowa / Wayne County / Promise City

Buying a home in Promise City, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Promise City is worth about $53,900, 74% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 84% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $450 a year in property taxes, about 0.83% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $41,563 a year, so the median home costs 1.3 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 74% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 21% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Promise City at a glance

Promise City Iowa U.S.
Median home value $53,900 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $450 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.83% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $41,563 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 74% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 21% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $760 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 15.0% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $625 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 15.6% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1938 1972 1980
Vacant homes 9.3% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 105 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Promise City

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Promise City home of $53,900 with 20% down costs about $350 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $440, 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 $14,992 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 10% of the median Promise City household income of $41,563; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $149,000.

The median rent here is $625 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$10,780
Loan amount$43,120
Principal and interest$290
Property taxes (0.83% a year)$37
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$22
PMI$0
Total per month$350

Change the numbers in the calculator

3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$1,886
Loan amount$52,924
Principal and interest$356
Property taxes (0.83% a year)$37
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$22
FHA mortgage insurance$24
Total per month$440

Change the numbers in the calculator

Questions about home buying in Promise City

What is the median home value in Promise City?

About $53,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Promise City?

Homeowners pay a median $450 a year, which is about 0.83% 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 Promise City?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $350 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $14,992 a year.

More about Promise City

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