O'Brien County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in O'Brien County, Iowa is about $183,000 (the 2026 median across 8 ZIP codes, at ~$101/sq ft) — 12% more affordable than the Iowa median and 37% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How O'Brien County compares
O'Brien County is relatively affordable for housing nationally: its typical home costs $183,000 against $207,500 for Iowa and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $124,000 to $275,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| O'Brien County | $183,000 | $101 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
O'Brien County home prices by ZIP code
The 8 most valuable ZIP codes in O'Brien County (of 8 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51022 Granville | $275,000 | $82 | +50% |
| 51231 Archer | $227,000 | $88 | +24% |
| 51248 Sanborn | $208,000 | $105 | +14% |
| 51245 Primghar | $187,000 | $110 | +2% |
| 51046 Paullina | $179,000 | $121 | -2% |
| 51346 Hartley | $178,000 | $127 | -3% |
| 51058 Sutherland | $160,000 | $97 | -13% |
| 51009 Calumet | $124,000 | $65 | -32% |
Home value appreciation in O'Brien County
Home prices in O'Brien County have risen about 75% over the last 10 years (≈5.8% a year) and +121.1% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +5.8% — still rising. A home worth $183,000 today was worth roughly $104,571 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 O'Brien County
Run the numbers for O'Brien County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in O'Brien County
To buy the typical $183,000 home in O'Brien County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $50,000 a year (about $1,160 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $59,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $9,200 | $1,440/mo | $62,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $18,300 | $1,380/mo | $59,000/yr |
| 20% | $36,600 | $1,160/mo | $50,000/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 O'Brien County
At about $101 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in O'Brien County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1490 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $200k | 1980 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 2480 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 2970 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $400k | 3960 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 O'Brien County
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O'Brien 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.