Rent vs. Buy in Scott County, IA

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

Median Home Price

$198,000

Median Rent

$919/mo

Price-to-Rent Ratio

18x

Homeownership Rate

69.1%

Monthly Cost Comparison

Buying (20% down, 6.5% rate)

Mortgage (P&I)$1,001
Property Tax$259
Insurance$66

Total Monthly$1,326

Renting

Monthly Rent$919
Renter's Insurance$25

Total Monthly$944

In Scott County, buying costs approximately $407/mo more than renting. This doesn't account for equity buildup, tax deductions, or home appreciation.

About Scott County, Iowa

Scott County in Iowa has a median household income of $72,792 and an effective property tax rate of 1.6%. With a price-to-rent ratio of 18x, 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.

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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.

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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.