The typical owner-occupied home in Palo Alto County is worth about $123,200, 41% below the Iowa median of $208,000 and 63% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,474 a year in property taxes, about 1.20% of their home's value, lower than the Iowa rate of 1.39%. The median household earns $72,781 a year, so the median home costs 1.7 times the median income (2.8 times for Iowa). 77% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 50% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Palo Alto County at a glance
| Palo Alto County | Iowa | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $123,200 | $208,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,474 | $2,897 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.20% | 1.39% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $72,781 | $75,059 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 77% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 50% | 59% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,171 | $1,533 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 15.1% | 18.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $638 | $972 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.1% | 27.4% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1958 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.6% | 8.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 8,863 | 3,210,507 | 334,922,499 |
How much equity Palo Alto County owners could borrow
Home equity is what your home is worth minus what you owe. Most lenders let you borrow until your loans add up to 80% to 85% of the home's value. For the median Palo Alto County home of $123,200, 80% is $98,560.
50% of Palo Alto County owners have no mortgage at all, so they could borrow up to the full 80% limit.
Owners with a mortgage here already spend a median $1,171 a month on housing, so a new payment should fit next to that. At the median income of $72,781, lenders typically cap all debt payments at about 43% of gross income, or $2,608 a month.
If you instead refinance and take cash out, the whole loan moves to the new rate (this week's 30-year average is 7.11%). A home equity loan or line of credit keeps your current first mortgage, which is usually better when your existing rate is lower than today's.
| Owe nothing | $98,560 to $104,720 |
|---|---|
| Owe $30,800 | $67,760 to $73,920 |
| Owe $61,600 | $36,960 to $43,120 |
| Owe $80,080 | $18,480 to $24,640 |
Before the lender's own limits, fees and your credit and income checks.
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home equity loans in Palo Alto County
What is the median home value in Palo Alto County?
About $123,200 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Palo Alto County?
Homeowners pay a median $1,474 a year, which is about 1.20% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
How much can I borrow against my home in Palo Alto County?
Usually up to 80% to 85% of your home's value, minus what you owe. On the median home of $123,200, an 80% limit is $98,560 before subtracting your mortgage.
More about Palo Alto County
- Mortgage Refinance in Palo Alto County
- Home Buying in Palo Alto County
- Debt Relief in Palo Alto County
- 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