Hardin County, Iowa Housing Market

In Hardin County, Iowa, the median home value is $122,500, with a median monthly rent of $795. This places Hardin County at #2589 nationally out of 3134 counties by median home value, and #85 within Iowa.

Median Home Value $122,500
Median Rent $795/mo
Owner Occupancy 73.6%
Price/Rent Ratio 12.8

📈 Price Trend (2017 → 2024)

📊 Recent Market Momentum (FHFA HPI)

FHFA House Price Index — All-Transactions, Annual (2000 = 100) · Latest: 2025

💡 Year-over-Year Trend: Home prices in Hardin County fell -2.0% year-over-year as of 2025. (Source: FHFA)

📍 Economic Snapshot

💼

Employment & Wages

4,930
jobs (private sector)
  • Avg weekly wage: $1,124
  • Establishments: 565
  • BLS QCEW, 2025
🏗️

Housing Supply

18
new units authorized (2025)
  • Single-family: 18
  • Multi-family: 0
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey
🚚

Migration Patterns

+331
net migration (filers, 2021-2022)
  • Inflow: 6,775 (avg $73,394)
  • Outflow: 6,444 (avg $74,783)
  • IRS Statistics of Income

How Hardin County Compares

MetricHardin CountyIowa AverageU.S. Average
Median Home Value $122,500 $171,037 $227,706
Median Gross Rent $795 $832 $968
Owner Occupancy Rate 73.6% 75.8% 73.3%
Price/Rent Ratio 12.8 17.0 18.7

Market Analysis

The median home value in Hardin County is 28.4% below the Iowa state average and 46.2% below the U.S. national average. The median rent of $795/month is 4.4% below the state average.

With a price-to-rent ratio of 12.8, buying a home in Hardin 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.

Hardin County has an owner-occupancy rate of 73.6%, 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
Mississippi County Arkansas $122,500 $830
Prentiss County Mississippi $122,500 $637
Osceola County Iowa $122,600 $797
Avoyelles Parish Louisiana $122,400 $757
Mora County New Mexico $122,600 $887

Other Counties in Iowa

CountyMedian Home ValueMedian RentOwner Occ.
Osceola County $122,600 $797 77.9%
Union County $122,000 $721 72.1%
Audubon County $121,900 $759 76.2%
Palo Alto County $123,200 $638 77.1%
Montgomery County $121,400 $814 69.1%

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).