Rental DSCR · Iowa
Where rent covers the loan in Iowa
At a 7% example rate, a 3-bedroom rental on a mid-market home covers its full payment in 52 of 99 Iowa counties (53%). The typical Iowa county has a DSCR of 1.01. Among markets with at least 2,500 renter homes and a loan of $55,000 or more, the highest DSCRs are in Wapello County at 1.46, Des Moines County at 1.30 and Lee County at 1.21.
The biggest rental markets
In Iowa’s largest rental markets, the rent falls short of the payment in Polk County (DSCR 0.98, break-even 6.7%), Johnson County (DSCR 0.74, break-even under 4%) and Linn County (DSCR 0.91, break-even 5.8%).
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Every Iowa county, ranked
Ranked by DSCR at a 7% example rate on a mid-market home, 75% loan. † A 75% loan there is under $55,000, the smallest DSCR loan through Pinnacle Funding Network. * Small survey sample; treat as rough.
| # | County | Renter homes | 3-bed rent | Home price | DSCR at 7% (example) | Break-even rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ida County | 826 | $989 | $94,000 | 1.56 | 13.8% |
| 2 | Pocahontas County | 682 | $880 | $83,300 | 1.55 | 13.7% |
| 3 | Wapello County | 4,422 | $1,171 | $115,500 | 1.46 | 12.8% |
| 4 | Emmet County | 837 | $1,058 | $108,300 | 1.41 | 12.2% |
| 5 | Lucas County* | 787 | $1,144 | $119,400 | 1.41 | 12.1% |
| 6 | Taylor County* | 550 | $930 | $98,000 | 1.40 | 11.9% |
| 7 | Humboldt County | 964 | $1,169 | $129,200 | 1.35 | 11.4% |
| 8 | Wayne County* | 490 | $1,051 | $115,800 | 1.34 | 11.2% |
| 9 | Palo Alto County | 867 | $1,110 | $126,400 | 1.33 | 11.0% |
| 10 | Des Moines County | 4,355 | $1,180 | $131,900 | 1.30 | 10.9% |
| 11 | Franklin County* | 1,158 | $992 | $114,100 | 1.29 | 10.6% |
| 12 | Hardin County | 1,861 | $999 | $114,000 | 1.29 | 10.6% |
| 13 | Winnebago County | 1,364 | $1,111 | $131,500 | 1.26 | 10.3% |
| 14 | Audubon County | 619 | $975 | $114,900 | 1.25 | 10.2% |
| 15 | Page County | 1,843 | $1,029 | $121,300 | 1.25 | 10.1% |
| 16 | Van Buren County | 532 | $869 | $105,000 | 1.24 | 10.0% |
| 17 | Decatur County* | 925 | $947 | $110,100 | 1.22 | 10.0% |
| 18 | Lee County | 3,389 | $1,069 | $130,000 | 1.21 | 9.7% |
| 19 | Hancock County* | 820 | $996 | $126,900 | 1.19 | 9.4% |
| 20 | Cass County | 1,662 | $1,115 | $139,900 | 1.19 | 9.4% |
| 21 | Adams County* | 352 | $913 | $116,400 | 1.17 | 9.2% |
| 22 | Harrison County | 1,392 | $1,258 | $162,900 | 1.16 | 9.1% |
| 23 | Calhoun County | 778 | $906 | $116,400 | 1.15 | 9.0% |
| 24 | Montgomery County | 1,415 | $1,113 | $139,100 | 1.15 | 9.0% |
| 25 | Union County* | 1,426 | $1,006 | $123,000 | 1.14 | 9.0% |
| 26 | Fremont County | 612 | $1,099 | $146,600 | 1.14 | 8.8% |
| 27 | Sac County | 946 | $1,015 | $138,400 | 1.13 | 8.6% |
| 28 | Crawford County | 1,521 | $1,117 | $149,700 | 1.12 | 8.6% |
| 29 | Guthrie County | 736 | $1,210 | $166,300 | 1.11 | 8.4% |
| 30 | Webster County | 4,560 | $1,043 | $139,300 | 1.11 | 8.4% |
| 31 | Floyd County | 1,521 | $974 | $131,300 | 1.10 | 8.3% |
| 32 | Keokuk County | 762 | $863 | $117,400 | 1.10 | 8.3% |
| 33 | Osceola County | 583 | $976 | $136,300 | 1.10 | 8.2% |
| 34 | Jefferson County* | 2,246 | $1,103 | $150,500 | 1.09 | 8.1% |
| 35 | Howard County* | 852 | $1,059 | $147,600 | 1.08 | 8.1% |
| 36 | Worth County | 534 | $1,066 | $152,400 | 1.08 | 8.0% |
| 37 | Fayette County | 1,957 | $957 | $132,500 | 1.08 | 8.0% |
| 38 | Marshall County | 3,874 | $1,040 | $143,000 | 1.07 | 8.0% |
| 39 | Wright County* | 1,231 | $924 | $125,700 | 1.07 | 7.9% |
| 40 | Tama County | 1,616 | $985 | $137,400 | 1.06 | 7.9% |
| 41 | Kossuth County* | 1,399 | $916 | $134,600 | 1.06 | 7.7% |
| 42 | Monroe County | 578 | $1,010 | $144,300 | 1.04 | 7.5% |
| 43 | Woodbury County | 12,945 | $1,246 | $180,300 | 1.03 | 7.4% |
| 44 | Henry County | 1,977 | $1,065 | $150,900 | 1.03 | 7.4% |
| 45 | Cherokee County | 1,235 | $1,007 | $153,500 | 1.03 | 7.3% |
| 46 | Clarke County | 1,127 | $1,068 | $151,100 | 1.02 | 7.3% |
| 47 | Adair County | 843 | $975 | $143,300 | 1.02 | 7.3% |
| 48 | Chickasaw County | 953 | $1,116 | $171,800 | 1.02 | 7.2% |
| 49 | Monona County | 943 | $890 | $135,700 | 1.02 | 7.2% |
| 50 | Black Hawk County | 18,424 | $1,245 | $181,500 | 1.01 | 7.2% |
| 51 | Hamilton County | 1,713 | $967 | $145,700 | 1.00 | 7.0% |
| 52 | Pottawattamie County | 11,331 | $1,383 | $203,900 | 1.00 | 7.0% |
| 53 | Buena Vista County* | 2,021 | $1,053 | $162,200 | 0.99 | 6.9% |
| 54 | Appanoose County | 1,623 | $824 | $123,200 | 0.99 | 6.9% |
| 55 | Polk County | 67,049 | $1,706 | $255,800 | 0.98 | 6.7% |
| 56 | Warren County | 3,652 | $1,697 | $263,300 | 0.98 | 6.7% |
| 57 | Cerro Gordo County | 5,793 | $1,043 | $158,000 | 0.98 | 6.7% |
| 58 | Scott County | 21,956 | $1,397 | $214,000 | 0.97 | 6.7% |
| 59 | Ringgold County* | 409 | $906 | $138,300 | 0.97 | 6.7% |
| 60 | Jasper County | 4,151 | $1,172 | $180,600 | 0.97 | 6.6% |
| 61 | Clinton County | 4,965 | $1,005 | $152,200 | 0.97 | 6.5% |
| 62 | Mahaska County | 2,801 | $995 | $156,100 | 0.96 | 6.5% |
| 63 | Allamakee County | 1,216 | $1,076 | $170,800 | 0.96 | 6.4% |
| 64 | Clay County | 1,942 | $1,058 | $171,000 | 0.95 | 6.4% |
| 65 | Shelby County | 1,084 | $1,033 | $165,300 | 0.95 | 6.3% |
| 66 | Iowa County | 1,617 | $1,142 | $182,400 | 0.94 | 6.2% |
| 67 | Poweshiek County | 2,247 | $1,187 | $195,400 | 0.93 | 6.1% |
| 68 | Carroll County | 2,017 | $1,047 | $174,800 | 0.93 | 6.1% |
| 69 | Louisa County | 836 | $927 | $152,400 | 0.93 | 6.1% |
| 70 | Buchanan County | 1,475 | $1,048 | $170,800 | 0.92 | 5.9% |
| 71 | Linn County | 25,326 | $1,316 | $210,000 | 0.91 | 5.8% |
| 72 | Muscatine County | 4,525 | $1,081 | $176,700 | 0.90 | 5.7% |
| 73 | Greene County* | 925 | $965 | $164,700 | 0.90 | 5.7% |
| 74 | Davis County | 536 | $1,048 | $174,700 | 0.90 | 5.6% |
| 75 | Clayton County | 1,653 | $979 | $165,800 | 0.89 | 5.6% |
| 76 | Jones County | 1,592 | $1,020 | $174,300 | 0.88 | 5.4% |
| 77 | Jackson County | 1,589 | $1,015 | $176,500 | 0.88 | 5.4% |
| 78 | Boone County | 2,187 | $1,204 | $208,800 | 0.87 | 5.3% |
| 79 | Dubuque County | 10,927 | $1,344 | $239,500 | 0.87 | 5.3% |
| 80 | Mitchell County* | 920 | $964 | $173,100 | 0.86 | 5.2% |
| 81 | Mills County | 888 | $1,338 | $235,500 | 0.85 | 5.0% |
| 82 | Dallas County | 13,145 | $1,816 | $333,200 | 0.83 | 4.8% |
| 83 | Washington County | 2,331 | $1,030 | $188,500 | 0.82 | 4.5% |
| 84 | Plymouth County | 2,722 | $1,159 | $225,400 | 0.81 | 4.5% |
| 85 | O’Brien County | 1,388 | $868 | $169,200 | 0.81 | 4.4% |
| 86 | Butler County | 932 | $866 | $162,400 | 0.80 | 4.2% |
| 87 | Bremer County | 1,976 | $1,121 | $214,400 | 0.80 | 4.3% |
| 88 | Story County | 17,305 | $1,353 | $257,500 | 0.80 | 4.2% |
| 89 | Benton County | 1,531 | $1,023 | $199,600 | 0.78 | Under 4% |
| 90 | Madison County | 1,330 | $1,257 | $243,500 | 0.77 | Under 4% |
| 91 | Cedar County | 1,412 | $1,031 | $205,700 | 0.77 | Under 4% |
| 92 | Delaware County | 1,504 | $910 | $178,300 | 0.77 | Under 4% |
| 93 | Marion County | 2,970 | $1,071 | $224,700 | 0.74 | Under 4% |
| 94 | Johnson County | 25,736 | $1,487 | $303,700 | 0.74 | Under 4% |
| 95 | Dickinson County | 1,994 | $1,236 | $277,400 | 0.72 | Under 4% |
| 96 | Grundy County* | 794 | $919 | $198,700 | 0.72 | Under 4% |
| 97 | Sioux County | 3,029 | $1,066 | $256,800 | 0.65 | Under 4% |
| 98 | Winneshiek County | 2,100 | $1,042 | $257,600 | 0.64 | Under 4% |
| 99 | Lyon County | 855 | $871 | $230,300 | 0.61 | Under 4% |
Rates on this page are a 7% example, not a quote or an offer. DSCR here is 3-bedroom rent divided by principal, interest, property tax and insurance on a 75% loan with a 30-year fixed payment. At 1.00 the rent pays all of it. Figures are estimates from public data, for education only.
Questions
In how many Iowa counties does a 3-bedroom rental cover the payment at 7%?
At a 7% example rate, a 3-bedroom rental on a mid-market home covers its full payment in 52 of 99 Iowa counties (53%). The typical Iowa county has a DSCR of 1.01. Move the example rate and the count changes: 70 counties cover at 6%, 52 at 7% and 38 at 8%.
Where in Iowa does rent go furthest against the payment?
Among markets with at least 2,500 renter homes and a loan of $55,000 or more, the highest DSCRs are in Wapello County at 1.46, Des Moines County at 1.30 and Lee County at 1.21.
Do Iowa’s biggest rental markets cover the payment?
In Iowa’s largest rental markets, the rent falls short of the payment in Polk County (DSCR 0.98, break-even 6.7%), Johnson County (DSCR 0.74, break-even under 4%) and Linn County (DSCR 0.91, break-even 5.8%).
How is this calculated?
Rent is HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a 3-bedroom, adjusted to each county. Home prices are about the 40th percentile of local values from the Census Bureau’s 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, brought to mid-2026 with the FHFA house price index. Property tax uses each county’s effective rate and insurance starts from NAIC 2023 average premiums. DSCR is rent divided by principal, interest, tax and insurance on a 75% loan at a 7% example rate, which is not a quote or an offer.
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