Cost of Living in Jones County, Iowa
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
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 Jones County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Jones County ranks #1,577 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 50%)
Sourced county brief
Jones County Median Monthly Owner Costs Reach $1,014
In Jones County, the median monthly owner cost is $1,014, which is $64 above the Iowa unweighted county mean of $950. The median home value is $184,800, compared to the state unweighted county mean of $171,037. For renters, the median gross rent is $784 per month, which is $48 below the state unweighted county mean of $832. The official rentToIncomePct is 25.7% based on official ACS B25071 GRAPI data, which is 0.3 percentage points higher than the state unweighted mean of 25.4%. Renter-household income is $37,244, and the median income for all households in the county is $73,531. See ACS table B25088 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Jones County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 25.7% of renter household income in Jones 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 $784 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,014. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $31,360 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. Jones County's $784 median is 5.8% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Jones County
Rent Burden
12.8%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,716
per month
Owner Cost Burden
16.5%
of gross income
You can likely afford the median home in Jones County
Median home value is $184,800. Estimated monthly cost: $1,475 vs. your max of $1,716.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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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
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See Today's RatesData: 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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