Clay County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Clay County, Iowa is about $175,000 (the 2026 median across 9 ZIP codes, at ~$128/sq ft) — 16% more affordable than the Iowa median and 39% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Clay County compares
Clay County is relatively affordable for housing nationally: its typical home costs $175,000 against $207,500 for Iowa and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $132,000 to $243,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Clay County | $175,000 | $128 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Clay County home prices by ZIP code
The 9 most valuable ZIP codes in Clay County (of 9 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51333 Dickens | $243,000 | $128 | +39% |
| 51033 Linn Grove | $201,000 | $47 | +15% |
| 51301 Spencer | $199,000 | $135 | +14% |
| 51366 Webb | $190,000 | $30 | +9% |
| 51343 Greenville | $175,000 | $92 | +0% |
| 51047 Peterson | $168,000 | $49 | -4% |
| 51338 Everly | $165,000 | $130 | -6% |
| 51340 Fostoria | $146,000 | $141 | -17% |
| 51357 Spencer | $132,000 | $142 | -25% |
Home value appreciation in Clay County
Home prices in Clay County have risen about 56% over the last 10 years (≈4.5% a year) and +78.5% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +5.0% — still rising. A home worth $175,000 today was worth roughly $112,468 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 Clay County
Run the numbers for Clay County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Clay County
To buy the typical $175,000 home in Clay County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $48,000 a year (about $1,110 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $57,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $8,800 | $1,380/mo | $59,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $17,500 | $1,320/mo | $57,000/yr |
| 20% | $35,000 | $1,110/mo | $48,000/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 Clay County
At about $128 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Clay County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1170 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $200k | 1560 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 1950 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 2340 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $400k | 3130 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 Clay County
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Clay 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.