Rent Trends / IA
Rent Trends in Iowa: 2015 to 2026
Yearly Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) for 43 cities in Iowa. The average across tracked cities is $1,204/month in 2026, up from $797 in 2015 (+51.1%). That sits $758 below (-38.6% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962.
Last updated: September 14, 2026
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) · Jan snapshots for 2015–2025; 2026 column = June 2026 release · U.S. typical rent $1,962 (June 2026)
What the Iowa rent trend shows
This page follows market rents in Iowa from 2015 through mid-2026 using the same Zillow ZORI vintage for every city in the table. State figures below are simple averages of the tracked cities — useful for comparing places inside Iowa and stacking the state against the published U.S. typical rent ($1,962/month in June 2026, up from $1,357 in January 2019 on our national series).
Since 2023, the tracked-city average in Iowa has risen from about $1,097 to $1,204 (+9.8%). That is the post-spike path — not a full reset to mid-2010s rents. The latest year step (2025 → 2026) is +0.8% ($1,195 → $1,204).
Within the state, long-run winners and losers split by city. The largest percentage increase from the earliest reading to 2026 is Des Moines (+41.9%, $797 → $1,131). 1 of 43 tracked cities are higher than their 2015 (or earliest) level.
For the national rent story, see the Rent Index. Statewide maps live on Rent by State. Full city database: Rent by City.
City-level breakdown in Iowa
Lowest 2026 rents
- Boone — $770
- Clinton — $775
- Fort Dodge — $820
- Independence — $888
- Perry — $923
Highest 2026 rents
- Bondurant — $1,738
- Nevada — $1,730
- North Liberty — $1,692
- Waukee — $1,601
- Clive — $1,581
Full list with every year from 2015–2026 is in the sortable table below.
All Iowa cities — yearly rent table
| City | Metro | '15 | '16 | '17 | '18 | '19 | '20 | '21 | '22 | '23 | '24 | '25 | '26 | % Chg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | $797 | $806 | $823 | $849 | $875 | $897 | $924 | $987 | $1,034 | $1,063 | $1,076 | $1,131 | +41.9% | |
| Cedar Rapids | — | — | $799 | $814 | $841 | $883 | $889 | $952 | $1,010 | $1,068 | $1,115 | $1,307 | +63.6% | |
| Davenport | — | — | $675 | $691 | $716 | $721 | $757 | $821 | $870 | $905 | $925 | $960 | +42.2% | |
| Sioux City | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,128 | $1,188 | $1,254 | +11.2% | |
| Iowa City | — | — | $934 | $943 | $950 | $964 | $982 | $1,037 | $1,078 | $1,130 | $1,177 | $1,271 | +36.1% | |
| Council Bluffs | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,028 | $1,128 | $1,195 | $1,283 | $1,342 | +30.5% | |
| Waterloo | — | — | — | — | — | — | $725 | $747 | $788 | $838 | $889 | $948 | +30.8% | |
| Dubuque | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $826 | $893 | $983 | $1,008 | $1,094 | +32.4% | |
| Ames | — | — | — | $926 | $912 | $930 | $961 | $988 | $1,050 | $1,088 | $1,122 | $1,153 | +24.5% | |
| West Des Moines | — | — | $1,047 | $1,036 | $1,061 | $1,092 | $1,096 | $1,156 | $1,221 | $1,269 | $1,302 | $1,353 | +29.2% | |
| Ankeny | — | — | — | — | $1,170 | $1,167 | $1,213 | $1,277 | $1,376 | $1,436 | $1,468 | $1,533 | +31.0% | |
| Marion | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $965 | $1,031 | $1,078 | $1,121 | $1,315 | +36.3% | |
| Urbandale | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,094 | $1,106 | $1,109 | $1,203 | +10.0% | |
| Bettendorf | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,096 | $1,129 | $1,229 | $1,271 | $1,386 | +26.5% | |
| Cedar Falls | — | — | $894 | $926 | $972 | $985 | $997 | $1,091 | $1,105 | $1,155 | $1,199 | $1,251 | +39.9% | |
| Marshalltown | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $978 | +0.0% | |
| Fort Dodge | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $820 | +0.0% | |
| Burlington | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $991 | +0.0% | |
| Clinton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $775 | +0.0% | |
| Waukee | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,365 | $1,473 | $1,540 | $1,514 | $1,601 | +17.3% | |
| Johnston | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,389 | $1,432 | +3.1% | |
| Coralville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $926 | $994 | $1,032 | $1,095 | $1,235 | +33.4% | |
| North Liberty | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,291 | $1,367 | $1,420 | $1,495 | $1,692 | +31.1% | |
| Altoona | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,475 | +0.0% | |
| Newton | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $992 | +0.0% | |
| Indianola | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,282 | +0.0% | |
| Clive | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,581 | +0.0% | |
| Grimes | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,305 | $1,367 | +4.8% | |
| Norwalk | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,237 | +0.0% | |
| Pella | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,038 | $1,135 | +9.3% | |
| Knoxville | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $950 | +0.0% | |
| Adel | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,094 | +0.0% | |
| Independence | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $888 | +0.0% | |
| Boone | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $770 | +0.0% | |
| Bondurant | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,738 | +0.0% | |
| Nevada | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,730 | +0.0% | |
| Pleasant Hill | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,325 | +0.0% | |
| Decorah | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $985 | +0.0% | |
| Osceola | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,066 | +0.0% | |
| Oelwein | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $928 | +0.0% | |
| Hiawatha | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $932 | +0.0% | |
| Windsor Heights | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $1,347 | +0.0% | |
| Perry | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | $923 | +0.0% |
Click any column header to sort · % Chg uses earliest available year → 2026
Frequently asked questions — Iowa rent
Is Iowa cheap to rent in 2026?
Yes — relative to the national market. The average rent across 43 tracked Iowa cities is about $1,204/month, which is $758 below (-38.6% vs) the U.S. typical rent of $1,962. That is a city-average in our sample, not a single statewide ZORI print, but it is a clear signal that Iowa screens cheaper than the U.S. typical $1,962.
What city in Iowa has the cheapest rent?
Among cities in our ZORI sample, Boone is the lowest at about $770/month (2026). Other lower-rent cities include Clinton ($775), Fort Dodge ($820), Independence ($888).
What city in Iowa has the most expensive rent?
Bondurant leads our sample at about $1,738/month in 2026, followed by Nevada ($1,730) and North Liberty ($1,692).
How much have rents in Iowa changed since 2015?
Across tracked cities, the average moved from about $797 in 2015 to $1,204 in 2026 (+51.1%). 1 of 43 cities are higher than their earliest reading in this series; the largest percentage jump is Des Moines (+41.9%).
Are rents in Iowa still rising year over year?
From 2025 to 2026, the average across tracked Iowa cities went from about $1,195 to $1,204 (+0.8%). Since 2023 ($1,097), that is +9.8%. Individual cities can diverge — sort by % Chg or compare the '25 and '26 columns.
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