Adams County, Iowa Housing Market

In Adams County, Iowa, the median home value is $131,600, with a median monthly rent of $893. This places Adams County at #2473 nationally out of 3134 counties by median home value, and #78 within Iowa.

Median Home Value $131,600
Median Rent $893/mo
Owner Occupancy 77.1%
Price/Rent Ratio 12.3

📈 Price Trend (2017 → 2024)

ℹ️ FHFA HPI data is not available for this county due to limited mortgage transaction volume.

📍 Economic Snapshot

💼

Employment & Wages

952
jobs (private sector)
  • Avg weekly wage: $1,004
  • Establishments: 132
  • BLS QCEW, 2025
🏗️

Housing Supply

12
new units authorized (2025)
  • Single-family: 12
  • Multi-family: 0
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
🚚

Migration Patterns

+40
net migration (filers, 2021-2022)
  • Inflow: 1,482 (avg $64,744)
  • Outflow: 1,442 (avg $65,707)
  • IRS Statistics of Income

How Adams County Compares

MetricAdams CountyIowa AverageU.S. Average
Median Home Value $131,600 $171,037 $227,706
Median Gross Rent $893 $832 $968
Owner Occupancy Rate 77.1% 75.8% 73.3%
Price/Rent Ratio 12.3 17.0 18.7

Market Analysis

The median home value in Adams County is 23.1% below the Iowa state average and 42.2% below the U.S. national average. The median rent of $893/month is 7.3% above the state average.

With a price-to-rent ratio of 12.3, buying a home in Adams County is generally more favorable than renting for those planning to stay long-term. A ratio below 15 typically signals that purchasing is financially advantageous over a multi-year horizon.

Adams County has an owner-occupancy rate of 77.1%, compared to 75.8% in Iowa and 73.3% nationally. This indicates a more homeowner-heavy market than the U.S. average.

Similar Counties by Home Value

CountyStateMedian Home ValueMedian Rent
Berrien County Georgia $131,600 $782
Union County Illinois $131,700 $648
Nemaha County Nebraska $131,700 $772
Pawnee County Oklahoma $131,500 $864
Whitley County Kentucky $131,800 $798

Other Counties in Iowa

CountyMedian Home ValueMedian RentOwner Occ.
Winnebago County $135,000 $717 70.6%
Des Moines County $136,500 $904 74.6%
Fayette County $136,800 $881 76.5%
Page County $125,300 $705 70.5%
Wapello County $125,100 $920 68.4%

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 2024 5-Year Estimates (2017–2024). Variables: B25077 (Median Home Value), B25064 (Median Gross Rent), B25003 (Tenure). Data collected on 2026-10-14. The price-to-rent ratio is calculated as Median Home Value ÷ (Median Monthly Rent × 12).