Rent vs. Buy in Clarke County, IA

Should you rent or buy in Clarke County? Here are the numbers.

Median Home Price

$127,200

Median Rent

$701/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

15.1x

Homeownership Rate

72.4%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$643
Property Tax$186
Insurance$42

Total Monthly$871

Renting

Monthly Rent$701
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$726

In Clarke County, buying costs approximately $170/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About Clarke County, Iowa

Clarke County in Iowa has a median household income of $63,120 and an effective property tax rate of 1.8%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 15.1x, the rent-vs-buy decision is nuanced and depends on your timeline.

These are starting estimates based on county-level medians. Your actual costs depend on the specific property, your credit score, down payment, and dozens of other variables. Our Monte Carlo simulation models 10,000 scenarios to give you probability-weighted answers, not single-point estimates.

Run Your Personalized Analysis for Clarke County

Enter your specific numbers — home price, rent, income, down payment — and get a Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 scenarios, NPV breakeven analysis, and tax-adjusted comparison.

Start Free Analysis →

Other Counties in Iowa

County-level data from U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2022 5-Year Estimates. Additional sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Housing Finance Agency. Estimates are based on county-level medians and may not reflect specific neighborhoods or property types. This is not financial advice — consult a licensed professional before making housing decisions.