Benton County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Benton County, Iowa is about $272,500 (the 2026 median across 16 ZIP codes, at ~$125/sq ft) — 31% more expensive than the Iowa median and 6% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Benton County compares
Benton County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $272,500 against $207,500 for Iowa and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $159,000 to $460,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Benton County | $272,500 | $125 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Benton County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Benton County (of 16 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52354 Watkins | $460,000 | $114 | +69% |
| 52206 Atkins | $369,000 | $163 | +35% |
| 52351 Walford | $345,000 | $130 | +27% |
| 52332 Shellsburg | $321,000 | $126 | +18% |
| 52249 Keystone | $313,000 | $124 | +15% |
| 52257 Luzerne | $307,000 | $162 | +13% |
| 52346 Van Horne | $302,000 | $180 | +11% |
| 52229 Garrison | $274,000 | $181 | +1% |
| 52318 Norway | $271,000 | $113 | -1% |
| 52345 Center Point | $270,000 | $157 | -1% |
| 52315 Newhall | $262,000 | $119 | -4% |
| 52209 Blairstown | $253,000 | $119 | -7% |
| 52224 Dysart | $248,000 | $94 | -9% |
| 52313 Mount Auburn | $248,000 | $89 | -9% |
| 52349 Vinton | $241,000 | $138 | -12% |
Home value appreciation in Benton County
Home prices in Benton County have risen about 64% over the last 10 years (≈5.0% a year) and +81.8% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +4.1% — still rising. A home worth $272,500 today was worth roughly $166,565 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Iowa is +65.4% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Benton County
Run the numbers for Benton County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Benton County
To buy the typical $272,500 home in Benton County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $74,000 a year (about $1,730 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $88,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $13,600 | $2,150/mo | $92,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $27,300 | $2,060/mo | $88,000/yr |
| 20% | $54,500 | $1,730/mo | $74,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Benton County
At about $125 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Benton County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1200 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 1600 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 2000 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 2400 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 3200 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Iowa.
Estimate a specific home in Benton County
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Benton County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Iowa cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.