Tama County, IA Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Tama County, Iowa is about $175,000 (the 2026 median across 11 ZIP codes, at ~$143/sq ft) — 16% more affordable than the Iowa median and 39% more affordable than the typical U.S. home.
How Tama County compares
Tama 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 $88,000 to $357,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Tama County | $175,000 | $143 |
| Iowa | $207,500 | $133 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Tama County home prices by ZIP code
The 11 most valuable ZIP codes in Tama County (of 11 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50612 Buckingham | $357,000 | $182 | +104% |
| 52215 Chelsea | $252,000 | $209 | +44% |
| 52225 Elberon | $226,000 | $54 | +29% |
| 52217 Clutier | $196,000 | $145 | +12% |
| 50675 Traer | $177,000 | $91 | +1% |
| 52342 Toledo | $175,000 | $104 | +0% |
| 50173 Montour | $174,000 | $243 | -1% |
| 50635 Garwin | $174,000 | $105 | -1% |
| 50632 Garwin | $155,000 | $230 | -11% |
| 52339 Tama | $141,000 | $143 | -19% |
| 50652 Lincoln | $88,000 | $46 | -50% |
Home value appreciation in Tama County
Home prices in Tama County have risen about 60% over the last 10 years (≈4.8% a year) and +77.1% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +3.2% — still rising. A home worth $175,000 today was worth roughly $109,375 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 Tama County
Run the numbers for Tama County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Tama County
To buy the typical $175,000 home in Tama 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 Tama County
At about $143 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Tama County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 1050 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $200k | 1400 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $250k | 1750 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $300k | 2100 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
| $400k | 2800 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 Tama County
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Tama 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.