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Buying a home in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

The typical owner-occupied home in Sergeant Bluff is worth about $298,500, 44% above the Iowa median of $208,000 and 10% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $3,561 a year in property taxes, about 1.19% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $123,481 a year, so the median home costs 2.4 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 73% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 66% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Sergeant Bluff at a glance

Sergeant Bluff Iowa U.S.
Median home value $298,500 $208,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $3,561 $2,897 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.19% 1.39% 0.94%
Median household income $123,481 $75,059 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 73% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 66% 59% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $2,049 $1,533 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 17.5% 18.7% 21.0%
Median rent $1,156 $972 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 20.1% 27.4% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1996 1972 1980
Vacant homes 7.6% 8.5% 10.1%
Population 5,171 3,210,507 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Sergeant Bluff

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Sergeant Bluff home of $298,500 with 20% down costs about $2,027 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,524, 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 $86,863 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Sergeant Bluff household income of $123,481; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $424,000.

The median rent here is $1,156 a month, so owning the median home costs about $871 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$59,700
Loan amount$238,800
Principal and interest$1,606
Property taxes (1.19% a year)$296
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$124
PMI$0
Total per month$2,027

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,448
Loan amount$293,093
Principal and interest$1,972
Property taxes (1.19% a year)$296
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$124
FHA mortgage insurance$132
Total per month$2,524

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Questions about home buying in Sergeant Bluff

What is the median home value in Sergeant Bluff?

About $298,500 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Sergeant Bluff?

Homeowners pay a median $3,561 a year, which is about 1.19% 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 Sergeant Bluff?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,027 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $86,863 a year.

More about Sergeant Bluff

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