Polk County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Polk County, Iowa is about $308,000 (the 2026 median across 31 ZIP codes, at ~$219/sq ft) — 48% more expensive than the Iowa median and 7% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Polk County compares
Polk County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $308,000 against $207,500 for Iowa and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $159,000 to $435,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | $308,000 | $219 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Cities in Polk County
Cities with their own home-value page, largest first:
Polk County home prices by ZIP code
The 15 most valuable ZIP codes in Polk County (of 31 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50237 Runnells | $435,000 | $329 | +41% |
| 50325 Clive | $434,000 | $243 | +41% |
| 50226 Polk City | $430,000 | $300 | +40% |
| 50131 Johnston | $401,000 | $225 | +30% |
| 50007 Alleman | $382,000 | $289 | +24% |
| 50109 Granger | $382,000 | $266 | +24% |
| 50321 Des Moines | $356,000 | $212 | +16% |
| 50023 Ankeny | $355,000 | $234 | +15% |
| 50111 Grimes | $347,000 | $260 | +13% |
| 50035 Bondurant | $332,000 | $239 | +8% |
| 50073 Elkhart | $328,000 | $258 | +6% |
| 50161 Maxwell | $326,000 | $195 | +6% |
| 50009 Altoona | $320,000 | $247 | +4% |
| 50021 Ankeny | $318,000 | $227 | +3% |
| 50327 Pleasant Hill | $316,000 | $219 | +3% |
Home value appreciation in Polk County
Home prices in Polk County have risen about 70% over the last 10 years (≈5.4% a year) and +78.7% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +1.7% — still rising. A home worth $308,000 today was worth roughly $181,604 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 Polk County
Run the numbers for Polk County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Polk County
To buy the typical $308,000 home in Polk County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $84,000 a year (about $1,960 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $100,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $15,400 | $2,430/mo | $104,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $30,800 | $2,320/mo | $100,000/yr |
| 20% | $61,600 | $1,960/mo | $84,000/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 Polk County
At about $219 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Polk County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 680 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 910 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 1140 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 1370 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 1830 sq ft | around the typical home here |
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 Polk County
Enter your ZIP and size for an instant estimate tailored to your exact area:
Polk County home prices: frequently asked
What is the average home price in Polk County, IA? +
What salary do you need to buy a house in Polk County? +
Which part of Polk County is most expensive? +
Are home values in Polk County going up? +
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.