Markets/Iowa/Iowa City

Iowa City, IA Real Estate Market 2026

Investor-grade market analytics for Iowa City, Iowa. Data from Zillow ZHVI, FRED, Census ACS, and FEMA NRI. Updated monthly.

Median Home Price

$287,473

+4.0% year-over-year

Est. Rental Yield

5.4%

gross annual

12-Month Forecast

-6.1%

base case (Zillow ZHVF)

-6.1% year-over-year

Market Momentum

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Neutral
5.9mo supply ยท Score -1/7

Migration: Top 93% nationally

Income Migration

๐Ÿ“‰ Wealth Drain0.84x

In-migrants avg $54,761 AGI vs out-migrants $64,986

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Opportunity Zone Market

3 ZIP codes in Iowa City are designated Qualified Opportunity Zones (IRC 1400Z-2), eligible for capital gains tax deferral on qualifying investments. Learn more โ†’

Iowa City Market Summary

Iowa City, IA shows steady growth at 4.0% year-over-year appreciation, reflecting balanced market conditions with moderate demand. Affordability remains favorable with a price-to-income ratio of 3.88x, below the national average of 4.8x. Climate risk remains low (38/100), favorable for long-term investment stability. Rental yield of 5.39% is moderate, offering acceptable cash flow for leveraged investments.

Affordability

Affordability Score87/100
Price-to-Income Ratio3.9x (national avg 4.8x)
Median Household Income$74,142

Price Forecast Scenarios

12-month projection (Zillow ZHVF model)

Bear Case-9.2%
Base Case-6.1%
Bull Case-3.1%

Climate & Natural Hazard Risk

Iowa City, IA's primary climate exposure is wind storms (80/100). The composite climate risk score of 38/100 (Low) indicates overall risk reflecting favorable conditions for long-term real estate investment. This market benefits from relatively low natural hazard exposure compared to coastal and wildfire-prone regions.

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Get the full Iowa City dataset

Migration flows, ZIP-level neighborhood data, full demographics, price history, and the Market Screener.