CostBy County

Cost of Living in Iowa County, Wisconsin

$954/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$265,000
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$954/mo
4% above state average
Median Home Value
$265,000
20% below national
Census GRAPI
23.7%
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 Iowa County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Iowa County$954/mo
Wisconsin Average$916/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$954/mo
Median Gross Rent
$265,000
Median Home Value
$1,197/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
23.7%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Iowa County ranks #2,315 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 26%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Iowa County Median Home Value Reaches $265,000 in Recent Estimates

The median home value in Iowa County was estimated at $265,000 during the 2020-2024 period, which is above the Wisconsin unweighted county mean of $234,086. Among households that rent, the median renter-household income was $47,240, while the median gross rent was $954 per month. This monthly rent figure is higher than the state unweighted county mean of $916. For owner-occupied units, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,197, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $1,072. The official ACS B25071 median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 23.7%. This official GRAPI figure differs from the Wisconsin unweighted county mean of 25.3% by 1.6 percentage points. The data indicates that the median household income across all residents was $82,182. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Iowa County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 23.7% of renter household income in Iowa 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 $954 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,197. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $38,160 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 Wisconsin unweighted mean of county median rents is $916 per month. Iowa County's $954 median is 4.2% above that comparison value.

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

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Iowa County

$

Rent Burden

13.9%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,918

per month

Owner Cost Burden

17.5%

of gross income

The median home in Iowa County may be a stretch

Median home value is $265,000. Estimated monthly cost: $2,116 vs. your max of $1,918.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income13.9%
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: $82,182Needed: $38,160
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $82,182Needed: $51,300
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $82,182Needed: $61,673

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 Iowa County, Wisconsin?
Iowa County, Wisconsin has a median monthly rent of $954/mo and a median home value of $265,000. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 23.7% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Iowa County?
The median gross rent in Iowa County is $954/mo. This is 4% above state average for Wisconsin.
Is Iowa County affordable?
Iowa County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 23.7%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Iowa County's rent compare to the state average?
Iowa County's median rent of $954/mo is 4% above state average of $916/mo for Wisconsin.
What is the median home value in Iowa County?
The median home value in Iowa County, Wisconsin is $265,000. This is 20% 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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