CostBy County

Cost of Living in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

$850/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$166,400
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$850/mo
2% above state average
Median Home Value
$166,400
50% below national
Census GRAPI
23.8%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Cerro Gordo County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Cerro Gordo County$850/mo
Iowa Average$832/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$850/mo
Median Gross Rent
$166,400
Median Home Value
$946/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
23.8%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Cerro Gordo County ranks #1,714 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 45%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Cerro Gordo County Median Rent Burden Is 23.8 Percent

The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) in Cerro Gordo County was 23.8%, which is 1.6 percentage points below the Iowa unweighted county mean of 25.4%. Median gross rent for the county was $850 per month, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $832. For owner-occupied units, the median home value was $166,400, while the Iowa unweighted county mean was $171,037. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units were $946, which is below the state unweighted county mean of $950. The median income for renter households was estimated at $42,350. These values are recorded in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Cerro Gordo County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 23.8% of renter household income in Cerro Gordo County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $850 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $946. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $34,000 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Iowa unweighted mean of county median rents is $832 per month. Cerro Gordo County's $850 median is 2.1% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Cerro Gordo County

$

Rent Burden

15.0%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,591

per month

Owner Cost Burden

16.6%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Cerro Gordo County

Median home value is $166,400. Estimated monthly cost: $1,328 vs. your max of $1,591.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income15.0%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $68,189Needed: $34,000
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $68,189Needed: $40,543
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $68,189Needed: $38,726

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa?
Cerro Gordo County, Iowa has a median monthly rent of $850/mo and a median home value of $166,400. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 23.8% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Cerro Gordo County?
The median gross rent in Cerro Gordo County is $850/mo. This is 2% above state average for Iowa.
Is Cerro Gordo County affordable?
Cerro Gordo County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 23.8%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Cerro Gordo County's rent compare to the state average?
Cerro Gordo County's median rent of $850/mo is 2% above state average of $832/mo for Iowa.
What is the median home value in Cerro Gordo County?
The median home value in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa is $166,400. This is 50% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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