CostBy County

Cost of Living in Jackson County, Iowa

$807/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$175,000
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$807/mo
3% below state average
Median Home Value
$175,000
47% below national
Census GRAPI
27.9%
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 Jackson County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Jackson County$807/mo
Iowa Average$832/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$807/mo
Median Gross Rent
$175,000
Median Home Value
$907/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
27.9%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Jackson County ranks #1,499 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 48%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Jackson County Median Gross Rent Estimated at $807 Monthly

In Jackson County, the official rentToIncomePct is 27.9%, based on official ACS B25071 GRAPI data. This figure is 2.5 percentage points above the Iowa unweighted county mean of 25.4%. The median gross rent in the county was estimated at $807 per month, which is below the state unweighted county mean of $832. For homeowners, the median home value is $175,000, and the median monthly owner cost is $907. These compare to state unweighted county means of $171,037 and $950, respectively. Renter-household income is $37,910, while the median income for all households in the county is $74,186. All statistics are for the 2020-2024 period. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Jackson County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 27.9% of renter household income in Jackson 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 $807 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $907. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $32,280 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. Jackson County's $807 median is 3.1% below that comparison value.

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

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Jackson County

$

Rent Burden

13.1%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,731

per month

Owner Cost Burden

14.7%

of gross income

You can likely afford the median home in Jackson County

Median home value is $175,000. Estimated monthly cost: $1,397 vs. your max of $1,731.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income13.1%
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: $74,186Needed: $32,280
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $74,186Needed: $38,871
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $74,186Needed: $40,727

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 Jackson County, Iowa?
Jackson County, Iowa has a median monthly rent of $807/mo and a median home value of $175,000. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 27.9% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Jackson County?
The median gross rent in Jackson County is $807/mo. This is 3% below state average for Iowa.
Is Jackson County affordable?
Jackson County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 27.9%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Jackson County's rent compare to the state average?
Jackson County's median rent of $807/mo is 3% below state average of $832/mo for Iowa.
What is the median home value in Jackson County?
The median home value in Jackson County, Iowa is $175,000. This is 47% 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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