Cherokee County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Cherokee County, Iowa is about $163,000 (the 2026 median across 8 ZIP codes, at ~$103/sq ft) — 21% more affordable than the Iowa median and 44% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Cherokee County compares
Cherokee County is relatively affordable for housing nationally: its typical home costs $163,000 against $207,500 for Iowa and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $118,000 to $184,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Cherokee County | $163,000 | $103 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cherokee County home prices by ZIP code
The 8 most valuable ZIP codes in Cherokee County (of 8 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51035 Marcus | $184,000 | $108 | +13% |
| 51014 Cleghorn | $180,000 | $95 | +10% |
| 51037 Meriden | $178,000 | $151 | +9% |
| 51005 Aurelia | $177,000 | $133 | +9% |
| 51012 Cherokee | $149,000 | $98 | -9% |
| 51061 Washta | $139,000 | $73 | -15% |
| 51029 Larrabee | $120,000 | $63 | -26% |
| 51049 Quimby | $118,000 | $118 | -28% |
Home value appreciation in Cherokee County
Home prices in Cherokee County have risen about 79% over the last 10 years (≈6.0% a year) and +111.2% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +4.5% — still rising. A home worth $163,000 today was worth roughly $91,317 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 Cherokee County
Run the numbers for Cherokee County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Cherokee County
To buy the typical $163,000 home in Cherokee County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $44,000 a year (about $1,030 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $53,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $8,200 | $1,290/mo | $55,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $16,300 | $1,230/mo | $53,000/yr |
| 20% | $32,600 | $1,030/mo | $44,000/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 Cherokee County
At about $103 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Cherokee County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1460 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $200k | 1940 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 2430 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 2910 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 Cherokee County
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Cherokee 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.