Mahaska County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Mahaska County, Iowa is about $191,000 (the 2026 median across 9 ZIP codes, at ~$145/sq ft) — 8% more affordable than the Iowa median and 34% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Mahaska County compares
Mahaska County is relatively affordable for housing nationally: its typical home costs $191,000 against $207,500 for Iowa and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $136,000 to $296,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County | $191,000 | $145 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Mahaska County home prices by ZIP code
The 9 most valuable ZIP codes in Mahaska County (of 9 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50143 Leighton | $296,000 | $264 | +55% |
| 52543 Cedar | $282,000 | $148 | +48% |
| 52586 Rose Hill | $234,000 | $61 | +23% |
| 50207 New Sharon | $228,000 | $145 | +19% |
| 52577 Oskaloosa | $191,000 | $153 | +0% |
| 52561 Fremont | $176,000 | $143 | -8% |
| 52595 University Park | $159,000 | $84 | -17% |
| 50027 Barnes City | $138,000 | $80 | -28% |
| 52534 Beacon | $136,000 | $147 | -29% |
Home value appreciation in Mahaska County
Home prices in Mahaska County have risen about 77% over the last 10 years (≈5.9% a year) and +95.2% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +2.2% — still rising. A home worth $191,000 today was worth roughly $107,727 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 Mahaska County
Run the numbers for Mahaska County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Mahaska County
To buy the typical $191,000 home in Mahaska County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $52,000 a year (about $1,210 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $62,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $9,600 | $1,510/mo | $65,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $19,100 | $1,440/mo | $62,000/yr |
| 20% | $38,200 | $1,210/mo | $52,000/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 Mahaska County
At about $145 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Mahaska County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1030 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 1380 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 1720 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 2070 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $400k | 2760 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 Mahaska County
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Mahaska 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.