CostBy County

Cost of Living in Guthrie County, Iowa

$845/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$180,100
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$845/mo
2% above state average
Median Home Value
$180,100
46% below national
Census GRAPI
24.9%
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 Guthrie County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Guthrie County$845/mo
Iowa Average$832/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$845/mo
Median Gross Rent
$180,100
Median Home Value
$970/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
24.9%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Guthrie County ranks #1,746 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 44%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Guthrie County Median Home Value Reaches $180,100

The median home value in Guthrie County is $180,100, which is $9,063 above the unweighted county mean of $171,037 for Iowa. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units are $970, slightly above the state unweighted county mean of $950. Among renters, the median gross rent is $845 per month, compared to an unweighted state county mean of $832. The official ACS B25071 median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) is 24.9%. This estimate is 0.5 percentage points below the Iowa unweighted county mean of 25.4%. Median renter-household income is $40,000. These figures are snapshots from the ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. Data version: acs5-2020-2024. Methodology version: cost-brief-v1. Last reviewed at: 2026-07-10. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Guthrie County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 24.9% of renter household income in Guthrie 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 $845 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $970. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $33,800 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. Guthrie County's $845 median is 1.5% above that comparison value.

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

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Guthrie County

$

Rent Burden

13.0%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,813

per month

Owner Cost Burden

15.0%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Guthrie County

Median home value is $180,100. Estimated monthly cost: $1,438 vs. your max of $1,813.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income13.0%
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: $77,711Needed: $33,800
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $77,711Needed: $41,571
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $77,711Needed: $41,914

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 Guthrie County, Iowa?
Guthrie County, Iowa has a median monthly rent of $845/mo and a median home value of $180,100. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 24.9% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Guthrie County?
The median gross rent in Guthrie County is $845/mo. This is 2% above state average for Iowa.
Is Guthrie County affordable?
Guthrie County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 24.9%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Guthrie County's rent compare to the state average?
Guthrie County's median rent of $845/mo is 2% above state average of $832/mo for Iowa.
What is the median home value in Guthrie County?
The median home value in Guthrie County, Iowa is $180,100. This is 46% 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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