The typical owner-occupied home in Buffalo Center is worth about $100,500, 52% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 70% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,298 a year in property taxes, about 1.29% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $52,917 a year, so the median home costs 1.9 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 29% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Buffalo Center at a glance
| Buffalo Center | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $100,500 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,298 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.29% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $52,917 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 73% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 29% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,102 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 13.6% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $640 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 41.8% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1959 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 11.6% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 911 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Buffalo Center
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Buffalo Center home of $100,500 with 20% down costs about $691 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $858, 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 $29,604 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Buffalo Center household income of $52,917; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $180,000.
The median rent here is $640 a month, so owning the median home costs about $51 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $20,100 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $80,400 |
| Principal and interest | $541 |
| Property taxes (1.29% a year) | $108 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $42 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $691 |
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| Down payment | $3,518 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $98,680 |
| Principal and interest | $664 |
| Property taxes (1.29% a year) | $108 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $42 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $44 |
| Total per month | $858 |
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Questions about home buying in Buffalo Center
What is the median home value in Buffalo Center?
About $100,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Buffalo Center?
Homeowners pay a median $1,298 a year, which is about 1.29% 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 Buffalo Center?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $691 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $29,604 a year.
More about Buffalo Center
- Mortgage Refinance in Buffalo Center
- Debt Relief in Buffalo Center
- Home Equity Loans in Buffalo Center
- 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