Cost of Living in Story 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 Story County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Story County ranks #2,456 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 22%)
Sourced county brief
Story County Median Gross Rent Surpasses 1,000 Dollars
Story County’s median gross rent is $1,018 per month, which is $186 above the Iowa unweighted county mean of $832. The official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI), based on ACS table B25071, is 29.4%, a value that is 4.0 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean of 25.4%. The median home value in the county is estimated at $258,700, while the Iowa unweighted county mean is $171,037. Median selected monthly owner costs for all owner-occupied units are $1,268, which is above the state unweighted county mean of $950. The median renter-household income is $42,674. These figures are data from the 2020-2024 5-Year American Community Survey. See ACS table B25071 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: Story County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 29.4% of renter household income in Story 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 $1,018 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,268. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $40,720 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. Story County's $1,018 median is 22.3% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Story County
Rent Burden
17.5%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,626
per month
Owner Cost Burden
21.8%
of gross income
The median home in Story County may be a stretch
Median home value is $258,700. Estimated monthly cost: $2,065 vs. your max of $1,626.
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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